A 2017 deadly Amtrak train derailment in Washington state happened because the engineer lost track of where he was on the route and was going more than twice the speed limit when he hit a curve, federal safety investigators said Tuesday. The derailment occurred on the train's first paid passenger trip on a new route from Tacoma, Washington, to Portland, Oregon. Although federal officials released preliminary findings after the crash, this is the first time investigators have offered a final determination of what happened. Seattle-based Sound Transit issued a statement Tuesday afternoon, calling the derailment "a terrible tragedy that sears in the memory of all of us at Sound Transit." "We remain deeply saddened by the loss of life and injuries due to this tragic event," Amtrak said.

Source: ABC News May 21, 2019 23:03 UTC