Friends of the Rail Forum

Amtrak derailment: train was going at nearly three times the speed limit

Amtrak crew to be quizzed after speeding train careers off bridge killing three

Rail Enthusiast Who Wanted To Be Among The First On The Inaugural Amtrak Route Was Killed In Derailment

Amtrak safety record already under scrutiny before fatal derailment

Derailed US train lacked automatic safety system

Amtrak derailment: safety gear was not active after rush to launch service

Clearing the wreckage

Enjoy a good laugh at the antics required to move a loco by road in the USA

US State Governments are extremely parsimonious, and build highway bridges with low axle loadings. Add lifer State bureaucrats intent on polishing their trousers seats (apparently arse is no longer PC), who scrupulously avoid risk, and you come up with the ridiculous trailers required to shift what to the Yanks, are heavy loads. In most of the Southern Hemisphere, what 6 to 8 lines of closely spaced axles and a single prime mover would accomplish, requires these shenanigans.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xM77QLL1A4U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ib7zQYlOLIc

Off topic, but brought to mind by your description of moving something big and heavy by road, when I was living in Spokane, WA, 25 years ago, I remember seeing a house being moved by road. After jacking it up and putting girders under it, then fixing wheels to the girders, it was eventually moved several kms late at night. There was a police escort, but I was mostly struck by the fleet of utility vehicles going on ahead to remove electricity and telephone wires, and then replacing them after the house had gone by.