Amtrak Derailment: Investigators say Train was Traveling 50 MPH Above Speed Limit

Amtrak train 501 had just left Seattle and was heading towards Portland on a new route when it careened off a bridge.

Federal officials say it was going way too fast.
 
"Preliminary indications are that the train was traveling at 80 miles per hour in a 30 mile per hour track," said Bella Dihn-Zarr, Vice Chairman with the National Transportation Safety Board.

Thirteen of the train's cars flipped off the overpass and crashed onto Interstate 5 below.  

At least three people were killed and more than 100 injured.

Daniel Konzelman and his girlfriend witnessed the horrifying crash and rushed in to help.

"People were in shock and a lot of them just sat down with their faces in the palm of their hands," Konzelman told television station KOMO.

Charlie Heebner, 79, and his wife Beverly, 78, had been excited to take the inaugural ride to Portland.

"We just wanted to go, an opportunity to be first on this newly established section of track that hasn't had passenger trains on it in years," he said in an interview with the television station.

The couple said they were thrown around inside the train like rag dolls. They managed to crawl out of a window and are thankful to have walked away.

However, they say there were horrible scenes: "There was this body lying there. He hardly had any clothes on.  The clothes had been ripped off him and he was obviously dead," Beverly said.

"I think, 'Man we were lucky to be getting out of here alive,'" said Charlie.  

Lakewood Mayor Don Anderson had raised safety concerns. He warned earlier this month that the new faster route would lead to fatal accidents.

"Come back when there is that accident because this project was never needed and endangers our citizens," Anderson said during a meeting on Dec. 4 on the new project to update tracks. 

Meanwhile, President Trump tweeted that the train accident proves it's time to do something about America's aging infrastructure.