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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2015 - 2016
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | May 20, 2015 12:15 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Christine M. Tartaglione |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Co-Sponsorship of Resolution - Honoring Workers at Philadelphia Amtrak Incident |
| In the near future, I plan to offer a resolution honoring the first responders and Amtrak personnel at the site of the train crash that occurred in Philadelphia, PA, last week. On the evening of Tuesday, May 12, 2015, several hundred passengers and Amtrak employees boarded Northeast Regional Train 188, traveling from Washington, D.C., to New York. While approaching Frankford Junction, located north of Philadelphia, the speeding train hurdled over 100 miles per hour through an infamous curve that sent its railcars off the tracks and into the surrounding darkness. When responders arrived, railcars were overturned and shredded. Serious injuries were sustained by many people trapped inside or underneath these twisted metal boxes. Other passengers lost their lives. Within minutes, first responders charged onto the scene and began their courageous rescue efforts, working diligently until the last person and body were recovered. While they were unable to save everyone, they risked their own lives in treacherous conditions, so that many others could live. They held victims’ hands and comforted them until they could be rescued, they lifted person after person out of train cars and they led them to safety. Most of all, they never showed fear or hopelessness to the victims that were counting on them. Simultaneously, Amtrak employees and other agency personnel arrived at this location in Philadelphia, working around-the-clock to ensure other trains did not collide with the fallen train, to review the railroad tracks and equipment and to begin cleaning up, repairing and rebuilding the damaged infrastructure, so that train service could be restored as quickly as possible. In less than one week, crews installed new speed controls and had the rail system up-and-running through this corridor. Without their miraculous efforts, the rescue and recovery process would have been delayed significantly. Out of respect and admiration, we must thank all of the workers on-site during the Amtrak incident for their quick responses and fearless actions that night. Because of the heroic efforts of the many emergency service personnel who arrived on the scene immediately following the crash, more than 200 passengers’ lives were saved. For the tireless work of these men and women, we owe our utmost respect and gratitude. Further, we owe our sympathy and prayers for the families of the 8 passengers who lost their lives during this event. At this time, I hope you will join me in co-sponsoring this resolution in honor of these brave, hard-working individuals. |