The National Transportation Safety Board has issued a preliminary report on the June 27th Amtrak crash in Mendon, Missouri that killed three passengers and a dump truck driver.
The report mainly spells out the basic facts of the case. The damage for the train and tracks totals to about $4 million. It also says they agency will next focus on why exactly the fully-loaded dump truck was on the tracks when the train -- going 89 miles an hour -- approached the road crossing.
The preliminary report did not speculate on whether the heavy truck had trouble getting over the elevated crossing grade. The final report will include recommendations to keep this kind of accident from happening again.
