NEW BUFFALO, Mich. — A technical issue at a 911 dispatching center and misidentification of the grade crossing played a part in the collision and derailment involving an Amtrak train in New Buffalo on Thursday, Nov. 16, according to the head of the dispatching center in Berrien County, Mich.
The incident occurred at about 10 p.m. when westbound Wolverine train No. 355 struck a tow truck and the vehicle it was attempting to remove from the grade crossing. Six people were transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries, and Amtrak service was not fully restored on the route until Sunday, Nov. 19 [see “Amtrak train derails in Michigan …,” Trains News Wire, Nov. 17, 2023].
Questions had been raised why Amtrak had not been notified to prevent the collision when there was enough time to summon a tow truck to the scene. In a press release today (Monday, Nov. 20), Caitlin Sampsell, Berrien County 911 director, said the county’s Public Safety Communication Center/911 Dispatch was experiencing technical issues with its computer-aided dispatch system “that left us unable to enter intersection cross streets, which are critical to our ability to pinpoint locations.”
The dispatch center received two 911 calls at 9:21 p.m. alerting it to a stranded vehicle on the railroad tracks. Because of the computer issue, use of a nearby business to determine the location “resulted in the identification of an incorrect train crossing,” Sampsell said in a press release. “We then immediately notified CSX, the primary operating railroad of the tracks at that crossing location.”
CSX spokesman Bryan Tucker told WSBT-TV that CSX was notified twice about the grade-crossing problem, once 30 minutes before the derailment and a second time just minutes before the collision and derailment. That second call included “new information and a different crossing, which allowed us to realize that the crossing was not on the scene of a CSX rail line,” Tucker told the station. “In fact, it was on an Amtrak rail line … which we do not control and unfortunately it was too late.”
While the crossing when the accident occurred had a blue sign with Amtrak contact information, law enforcement and the towing company on the scene apparently relied on the dispatch center to make the proper notification, and Amtrak was not notified before the train arrived and struck the vehicles at the crossing.
The county’s press release says the dispatch center has taken initial steps to modify its protocols including changes to protocols related to computer and software updates, communications with railroads, and the railroad crossing resource guide.
— Updated at 8:55 a.m. CST with CSX comments from WSBT report.
No reason to get the wrong railroad, you call the number on the sign, you give them the DOT number that is on the sign, the DOT number is for that specific crossing.
Suspect that it will require the Federal Highway Admin to get this problem fixed.
One question. The Amtrak number that is shown in the picture is not the one I have. Has the number changed or are there different numbers depending on what location the crossing is.?
All blue sign numbers are keyed to the dispatching center for that railroad segment, so you will see different numbers at different locations.
The article should be titled 911 Dispatching ceneter…as it gives the false impression that Amtrak Dispatchers were at fault!
Should have called it in as “shots fired” cops come to those like bees to honey!
The video from the cop’s dash cam is pretty intense. Could have been a mass casualty incident. Train was reportedly doing 88mph.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1665537660341345/posts/3788032671425156/
Was this on a curve or was no one paying attention to the fact that on railroads tracks, ALWAYS EXPECT A TRAIN. The tow truck could have moved off the track had someone been watching the tracks, unless it was on a curve and then the lights on the train may have not been visible until the last second.
Where I am (Virginia), the primary function of law enforcement is not public safety. While recruits receive some first-aid training, the emphasis is on traffic enforcement. The officers probably had no idea about the info sign at the crossing. And, their dispatching had no idea what to do. But, Radar or Lidar… that’s another matter entirely!
I must be a very smart man. When TRAINS-MAG first reproted this story, I said that county sheriffs don’t always know what railroad to call.
Wholly unbelievable!
Dr. Güntürk Üstün
the only thing worth ignoring is your computer generated regurgitation
A tragic comedy of errors. A technical issue with the computer-aided dispatch system? Seriously? An epic fail at so many levels.
Well, in Cleveland 911 system is unreliable to get Emergency Medical services. It is all around 911 system failures.
Not all locations call a 911 dispatch center either, some call a trouble desk on a railroad.
Just simply amazing, simply amazing. A large bowl of stupid served here….and no one knows where is what or who is where. CALL THE NUMBER ON THE CROSSING!
The police need an “in case of emergency on the RR” card on each cruiser pointing out there is a 800-number on that green sign which also identifies the crossing hopefully by what the RR calls it.