Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

After Two Amtrak Derailments, Pierce County Executive Has 'Serious Questions'

Pierce County Executive Bruce Dammeier speaks at a news conference Tuesday near the site of an Amtrak Cascades train that derailed killing three. He was joined by Gov. Jay Inslee, left.
Austin Jenkins
/
Northwest News Network
Pierce County Executive Bruce Dammeier speaks at a news conference Tuesday near the site of an Amtrak Cascades train that derailed killing three. He was joined by Gov. Jay Inslee, left.

Monday’s deadly train accident near DuPont, Washington, was the second derailment of an Amtrak Cascades in five months. That’s raising questions about the safety of the popular commuter rail line that runs between Vancouver, BC, and Eugene, Oregon.

In July, an Amtrak Cascades train traveling from Eugene to Seattle derailed near Steilacoom, Washington. There were no serious injuries, but speed was a factor. Then this week, a Portland-bound Cascades train derailed at high-speed on a new bypass route that allows trains to avoid Steilacoom. Three passengers died.

At a news conference at the crash site, Pierce County Executive Bruce Dammeier was asked about his confidence in Amtrak’s safety record in his county.

“We have had two accidents in Pierce County and you can bet that we’re going to be part of making sure that those questions are asked and that we believe the answers that come out from it,” Dammeier said. “This is a very serious issue that we’ve got to get to the bottom of.”

Dammeier added that there will be “plenty of time” to get those questions answered. He was joined by Gov. Jay Inslee at the news conference. They both said the focus now is on the victims, their families, the investigation and clean-up.

Copyright 2017 Northwest News Network

Since January 2004, Austin Jenkins has been the Olympia-based political reporter for the Northwest News Network. In that position, Austin covers Northwest politics and public policy as well as the Washington State legislature. You can also see Austin on television as host of TVW's (the C–SPAN of Washington State) Emmy-nominated public affairs program "Inside Olympia." Prior to joining the Northwest News Network, Austin worked as a television reporter in Seattle, Portland and Boise. Austin is a graduate of Garfield High School in Seattle and Connecticut College in New London, Connecticut. Austin’s reporting has been recognized with awards from the Association of Capitol Reporters and Editors, Public Radio News Directors Incorporated and the Society of Professional Journalists.
Austin Jenkins
Since January 2004, Austin Jenkins has been the Olympia-based political reporter for the Northwest News Network. In that position, Austin covers Northwest politics and public policy, as well as the Washington State Legislature. You can also see Austin on television as host of TVW's (the C–SPAN of Washington State) Emmy-nominated public affairs program "Inside Olympia."