US & Canada
Amtrak rail crash driver interviewed by investigators
- 2 hours ago
- US & Canada
The driver of the Amtrak train that crashed in Philadelphia on Tuesday night has been interviewed by investigators.
Brandon Bostian, was "extremely co-operative", the National Transportation Safety Board said, but he could not remember what happened.
The train derailed as it hit a curve when travelling at twice the speed limit, killing eight people.
The 32-year-old driver had called for stricter rail safety.
On various posts to Trainorders.com, Mr Bostian lamented Amtrak's lack of Positive Train Control, an automatic braking and warning system which was not fully operational on that section of line.
Safety experts have said it could have prevented the crash.
Friends said Mr Bostian talked about trains all the time and always wanted to be a train driver or conductor.
He has worked for Amtrak for nine years and was promoted to train driver in 2010.
On his Facebook page, friends wrote that he is a "great person and a great engineer [driver]".
More than 200 people were wounded in Tuesday's crash.
Investigators said the train sped up from 70mph (113km/h) to over 100mph in the minute before hitting the sharp bend.
Amtrak boss Joseph Boardman said on Thursday that the agency's goal is to "fully understand what happened and how we can prevent a similar tragedy from happening in the future".
The last wrecked coaches were pulled from the scene on Friday and taken away for further examination.
The rail service remains suspended between New York and Philadelphia until at least early next week.
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