Amtrak train derails in Missouri with 243 passengers on board

An Amtrak train heading from Los Angeles to Chicago derailed in Missouri on Monday, June 27, 2022. It happened in Mendon, approximately 100 miles northeast of Kansas City. Of the 243 passengers, at least fifty were injured, and two were killed in the horrific accident.

According to CNN, the train struck a dump truck obstructing an uncontrolled intersection. That is a crossing without motion gates or warning lights. Mendon’s unmarked junction consists of a gravel road that crosses the train tracks southwest of the city. The truck driver was killed in the collision around 12:42 P.M. central time.

Amtrak officials confirmed that eight train cars and two locomotives came off the tracks. Passenger Robert Nightingale was taking a nap in his sleeper car when the crash happened. He said the incident “happened like slow motion” as the car began to rock before falling over on the side his compartment was on. Nightingale was not injured but could not escape through the window as it was blocked by dirt. He got out of the car by crawling into the hallway and then to a neighboring room, where he climbed out the other side of the train.

Two Boy Scout troops from Wisconsin were on the train and helped those who were injured. The scouts were 14-17 years old and accompanied by eight adults. The Boy Scouts of America confirmed none of them were injured. A local school is being used as a triage center for those with minor injuries.

The National Transportation Safety Board is deploying a team to investigate the crash site. This is the second fatal accident in just two days. On Sunday, June 26, 2022, an Amtrak train hit a passenger vehicle in rural northern California. Three people died, and two sustained major injuries.