Police Investigate Apparent Amtrak Sabotage
Reporting
Todd Quinones
PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ― Police are investigating an apparent case of railroad sabotage against Amtrak, CBS 3 has learned.
Amtrak officials have confirmed exclusively to CBS 3 that someone removed numerous e clips that hold the rails to the ties.
Authorities said it happened two weeks ago near the Bridesburg train station. Amtrak officials normally inspect the tracks about twice a week which is how the missing clips were discovered.
A typical Acela train can weigh more than 600 tons and at speeds close to 100 miles per hour the trains depend on the e clips to stay on the rails.
Amtrak reported the incident to Philadelphia police and the Transportation Security Administration and officially released a statement saying:
"Amtrak Police have confirmed that they have opened an investigation into the incident of the missing e clips from the railroad," Karina Romeo, Amtrak Corporate Communications.
CBS 3 has also learned that while some e clips will break during normal wear and tear. In this case, several went missing all one right next to another and according to Amtrak officials that is unusual.
Amtrak said travelers were not in any immediate danger. But sources told CBS 3 that the rails did move and if the clips had been removed from curved portions of the track it could have caused a train to derail.
Officials do not know who is responsible or what their motive was but believe the average thief would not have the knowledge to know how to remove the e clips.

Todd Quinones
PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ― Police are investigating an apparent case of railroad sabotage against Amtrak, CBS 3 has learned.
Amtrak officials have confirmed exclusively to CBS 3 that someone removed numerous e clips that hold the rails to the ties.
Authorities said it happened two weeks ago near the Bridesburg train station. Amtrak officials normally inspect the tracks about twice a week which is how the missing clips were discovered.
A typical Acela train can weigh more than 600 tons and at speeds close to 100 miles per hour the trains depend on the e clips to stay on the rails.
Amtrak reported the incident to Philadelphia police and the Transportation Security Administration and officially released a statement saying:
"Amtrak Police have confirmed that they have opened an investigation into the incident of the missing e clips from the railroad," Karina Romeo, Amtrak Corporate Communications.
CBS 3 has also learned that while some e clips will break during normal wear and tear. In this case, several went missing all one right next to another and according to Amtrak officials that is unusual.
Amtrak said travelers were not in any immediate danger. But sources told CBS 3 that the rails did move and if the clips had been removed from curved portions of the track it could have caused a train to derail.
Officials do not know who is responsible or what their motive was but believe the average thief would not have the knowledge to know how to remove the e clips.