May 17, 2016:

In Washington, D.C., the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) held a hearing to review the results of the NTSB's investigation into the May 12. 2015 Amtrak train derailment.

The conclusions of the investigation are that:

• The train was going 106mph at the time of the derailment in a section of track where the speed limit is 50mph
• Apparently, engineer Brandon Bostian was distracted by radio reports of a nearby train that had been hit by rocks, lost "situational awareness", and increased the speed of the train thinking he had already passed a curve requiring the slower speed of 50mph
• Mechanical problems, cell phone use, and fatigue were not contributing factors
• The derailment could have been prevented if Positive Train Control had been operational on that section of track

Since the derailment, Positive Train Control has been installed and is operational on that section of track (the Frankford curve), but 56 miles of track on the Northeast Corridor still do not have PTC.

Why an Amtrak Train Derailed in Philadelphia | The New York Times

5 takeaways from NTSB hearing on Amtrak derailment | Philadelphia Media Network

NTSB: Distracted Engineer To Blame For Deadly Amtrak Derailment | CBS News

May 26, 2015:

Amtrak president Joseph Boardman announced that most trains along the Northeast Corridor will have inward-facing cameras installed by the end of this year. The hope is that cameras will help deter unsafe behavior by employees and help in accident investigations. Camera footage will not be available in real time but it will be available in the trains "black box".

Amtrak will install inward-facing cameras on trains | The Washington Post

May 17, 2015:

Amtrak officials said that full train service would resume early tomorrow morning along the Northeast Corridor.

The Federal Railroad Administration ordered Amtrak to make immediate safety improvements in the area of the derailment. Amtrak immediately complied with the order.

Amtrak to resume operations on Northeast Corridor on Monday | The Washington Post

May 14, 2015:

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said that in the last minute before derailment, the speed of the train increased from 70 mph to over 100 mph.

One more dead body was discovered, bringing the death toll to eight, with more than 200 injured.

Amtrak train sped up for about a minute before crash, NTSB says | The Washington Post

According to Amtrak officials, the train that derailed was equipped with an automatic speed control system, but because the U.S. Congress did not provide Amtrak access to the wireless frequencies required to make the system work, Amtrak was forced to seek out deals with private companies - deals that Amtrak pursued for four years without success in the North Corridor. In short, Amtrak said that the system was not operational due to budgetary shortfalls, technical hurdles and bureaucratic rules.

Source:

Shear, Michael D.; Mouawad, Jad. (May 14, 2015). "Amtrak Says Shortfalls and Rules Delayed Its Safety System". The New York Times. Retrieved 2015-05-18.

May 13, 2015:

Last night, an Amtrak train en route from Washington, D.C. to New York derailed in Philadelphia, killing seven people and injuring at least 50. According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the train was traveling over 100 mph as it approached the curve where it derailed. The section of track where the train derailed is not controlled by Positive Train Control (PTC), an advanced train safety technology designed to prevent this and other types of accidents involving trains.

Source:

Weil, Martin; Zauzmer, Julie; Bever, Lindsey. (May 13, 2015). "At least 6 dead when Amtrak train from D.C. to N.Y. derails in Philadelphia". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2015-05-13.

Halsey III, Ashley; Zauzmer, Julie; Shapiro, T. Rees. (May 13, 2015). "Train approached curve at 106 mph, twice the limit". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2015-05-13.

Commentary:

The derailment of this train is a horrible tragedy, but as stated by both Robert Sumwalt of the NTSB and Amtrak President Joseph Boardman, this accident would not have occurred if Positive Train Control (PTC) had been installed and operational on and around the section of track where the train derailed. So the question is, why was PTC not in place? The answer to that question has to do with the history of Amtrak, the lack of Amtrak funding by the U.S. government, and a failing U.S. transportation infrastructure.

On May 14, 2015, NPR's The Diane Rehm Show aired a one-hour segment entitled "Deadly Amtrak Derailment: An Update And Questions About The Safety Of U.S. Rail Travel" where these issues were discussed. Guests included:

• Ed Rendell, co-chair, Building America’s Future and former governor of Pennsylvania
• Jim Mathews, president & CEO, National Association of Railroad Passengers
• Andy Harris, Republican congressman representing Maryland's 1st District
• Larry Mann, rail safety attorney and principal draftsman of the Federal Railroad Safety Act of 1970
• Fawn Johnson, correspondent, National Journal
• Ed Hamberger, president & CEO, Association of American Railroads

More:

• Derailed Amtrak train lacked latest U.S. safety controls | Reuters
• Why Amtrak trains derail | The Washington Post
• Train Derailment Highlights Amtrak's Infrastructure Needs | NPR
• The Morning After: Lawmakers Vote To Reduce Amtrak Funding | NPR
• Amtrak loses a ton of money each year. It doesn’t have to. | The Washington Post