A year after the Amtrak train derailment in Dupont, an 82-year-old survivor told his story to KIRO 7.
PHOTOS: Train derails onto I-5 in Washington
Three passengers were killed and more than 60 others were hurt. The rail company is now facing dozens of lawsuits.
Reporter Patranya Bhoolsuwan sat down for a one-on-one with the man who told her about his fight to protect train riders and the new safety problems his attorney says his team uncovered over the past year.
Before and after photos show the scale of the train derailment
Rudy Wetzel was on his way to his farm in Centralia when the train crashed during its inaugural run on the new Point Defiance bypass and down onto I-5.
Investigators said the train was traveling at more than two times the speed limit when it derailed on a curve. %
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He said he still remembers the pain and fear of the train car coming down on top of him.
PHOTOS: Massive locomotive moved after train derailment
“I was in excruciating pain and I couldn’t help myself. If I would not have gotten into a galley, I would have been crushed,” said Wetzel.
Wetzel said he’s now suing Amtrak to make sure the company makes safety changes to put passengers first.
“It has to attract people’s attention. They can't be cavalier with our safety. I have to believe that Amtrak has gotten the message and that it's going to happen, if it hasn't already,” said Wetzel.
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KIRO 7 also talked with Wetzel’s attorney who said his team has uncovered more problems with the derailed train, including doors that didn't open properly and emergency lighting not immediately coming on after the crash.
Wetzel's lawsuit claims there was a known electrical problem prior to the train's departure and the train's engineer was not properly trained.
What the black box revealed in the Amtrak train derailment
A federal investigation is set to wrap up early next year, but a preliminary report from the NTSB says technology called positive train control could have stopped the train before it derailed.
Amtrak said it is cooperating with the investigation and has since implemented new safety features.
Cox Media Group
