Broken rail 'caused' Amtrak train crash

Accident investigators believe a broken rail caused the Amtrak passenger train crash that killed one person and injured 96 others.

The train was travelling from Chicago to Emeryville, California, with 241 passengers and 16 crew members aboard when the train derailed in Adams County, Iowa.

Seven people are still in hospital. Diane Henderson, 45, of Des Moines, is in serious condition at St. Joseph Hospital in Omaha and the other six are in fair or good condition.

The Washington Post has reported that the train derailed where a rail defect had been recently detected and a temporary patch installed.

John Goglia, a member of the National Transportation Safety Board, said: "At this point, the prime suspect is the track. Right now, it doesn't appear to be any part of human error of anyone on the train."

A train spokesman could not be reached to comment on the Post report.

The California Zephyr's engineer told investigators he was driving the train at 52 mph, well below the posted limit of 79 mph, on a straight stretch of track when he felt a tug.

Mr Goglia said inspectors had interviewed the crew of a coal train that had travelled the same section of track 57 minutes earlier and that they reported no problems with signals or the tracks.

Mr Goglia said experts would test sections of the track and that it usually takes at least nine months for the board to complete its laboratory work and reach a conclusion.

Goglia said the railroad that owns the track, the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad, had far exceeded government inspection requirements.