NTSB OPENS UP PUBLIC DOCKET IN MONTANA AMTRAK CRASH THAT KILLED THREE AND INJURED 49.

The report released yesterday is not the final report but it is filled with factual information collected from the National Transportation Safety Board.  In all there are 3100 pages of information.  It all deals with the deadly derailment of an Amtrak train near Joplin, Montana back in late September of 2021.  The accident killed three and left 49 others injured.

One of the key findings in the report says the rails in the area of the crash were misaligned.

The report also points out another important fact.  Measurements found the track had sifted in varying amounts.  Speed restrictions were also put in place just before the crash because one rail worker said the curve stakes weren't adding up to the configuration of the curve where the accident would later occur.

The final report that will narrow down what caused the deadly crash will be released later this year.

Below is a portion from an actual interview by the NTSB with one of the workers on the train.

Q. Okay. What car were you in?

Worker:  I was in the dorm car. It's the 732, right behind the 14 baggage car. My car stayed up.

Q. Okay. So what was the mood of the passengers right after the  incident? Was there panic or chaos or calm? How would you  describe it overall?

Worker:  It was total panic, people screaming and -- yeah, it was  unbelievable. We were trying to get people out of there so we could even go see what was wrong with the people that were trapped.

Below are more NTSB photos of the crash.