Argentine train slams into station, killing 49 [View all]

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Link: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5i6Vyp85L2HN5M4qp9R2lxJziBdOg?docId=d1ebf97815e54b689ae1b0bdec18fcb6

Source: Associated Press

Argentine train slams into station, killing 49
By MICHAEL WARREN, Associated Press – 18 minutes ago

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — A packed train slammed into the end of the line in Buenos Aires' busy Once station Wednesday, killing 49 people and injuring hundreds of morning commuters in Argentina's worst train accident in decades.
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That makes it Argentina's worst train accident since Feb. 1, 1970, when 200 a train smashed into another at full speed in suburban Buenos Aires, killing 200 people.

At least 550 people were injured, and emergency workers were slowly extracting dozens of people who were trapped inside the first car, said Alberto Crescenti, the city's emergency medical director. Rescuers carved open the roof and set up a pulley system to ease them out one by one.
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The commuter train came in too fast and hit the barrier at the end of the platform at about 16 mph (26 kph), smashing the front of the engine and crunching the leading cars behind it; one car penetrated nearly 20 feet (six meters) into the next, Argentina's transportation secretary, J.P. Schiavi told reporters at the station.

Telescoping cars.... That's a rare occurrence for intercity passenger service in this country. If I am not mistaken, the US Federal Railroad Administration has been criticized for its insistence on maintaining standards requiring high buffer strength on passenger equipment. Their policy effectively eliminates some foreign-designed equipment from operating in the United States. Am I wrong on this? I hope someone knowledgeable pipes up. Also, the coupler design on passenger equipment in this country keeps the cars all in a line in a wreck.

In pictures: Argentina train crash