JULY 14, 2016
AMARILLO, Texas -- A train failed to heed a stop signal before it barreled head-on into another freight train last month in the Texas Panhandle, killing three, say a preliminary investigation.
The National Transportation Safety Board says in the report released Thursday that an eastbound BNSF Railway train failed to slow at a yellow warning signal on June 28 and then continued past a red signal before striking an oncoming BNSF train.
The report says the eastbound train, bound for Chicago, was supposed to stop and allow the Los Angeles-bound train to pass.
Each train was carrying two crew members. One jumped to safety, the other three died.
The eastbound train was traveling about 65 mph when it passed the red stop signal.