TECHNICAL REPORT STANDARD TITLE PAGE
1. Report No. NTSB-RAR—72—5
2.Government Accession No.
3.Recipient's Catalog No.
4. Title and Subtitle Derailment of Amtrak Train No. 1 While Operating on the Illinois Central Railroad near Salem, Illinois, June 10, 1971.
5. Report Date
August 30, 1972
6.Performing Organization Code
7. Author(s)
8.Performing Organization Report No.
9. Performing Organization Name and Address
National Transportation Safety Board
Bureau of Surface Transportation Safety
Washington, D, C. 20591
10. Work Unit No.
11. Contract or Grant No.
12.Sponsoring Agency Name and Address
NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD
Washington. D. C. 20591
13.Type of Report and Period Covered
14. Sponsoring Agency Code
Railroad Accident Report June 10, 1971
15. Supplementary Notes
16.Abstract
Amtrak train No. 1, a southbound passenger train operating on the tracks of the
Illinois Central Railroad between Chicago, Illinois, and New Orleans, Louisiana, derailed near Salem, Illinois, on June 10, 1971. Two locomotive units and the first seven cars were turned over on their sides. The derailment reSulted in 11 fatalities and 163 injuries.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the displacement of the east stock rail of the southward main track by the false flange on the left-hand wheel on the leading axle of the rear truck of locomotive unit 4031. This wheel slid flat when the traction-motor armature bearings failed and locked the driving wheels. Failure to detect the sliding wheels was caused by an inoperative wheel-slip indicator.
The cause of six of the eleven fatalities was the ejection of passengers through the large side windows which broke when the cars overturned. The other fatalities were caused by passengers being ejected from the end of the car, being struck by a cross tie, and being hurled around the inside of the car. A total of 163 passengers and employees were injured when impacted against injury—producing surfaces inside the cars.
17. Key words
Railroads, Train Accidents, Accident Investigation, Passenger Car Derailment, Passenger Car Windows, Passenger Car Design, Locomotive, Locked Wheels, Slid—Flat Wheels, Traction Motor, Seized Armature, Armature Bearings, Wheel-Slip Device, Locomotive Controls, Locomotive Circuits.
18. Distribution statement
Released to Public.
Unlimited Distribution.
19.Security Classification (of this report)
UNCLASSIFIED
20. Security Classification (of this page)
UNCLASSIFIED
21.No. of Pages
66
22. Price
NTSB Form 1765.2 (ll/70) ii
