Amtrak Alters Car Interiors to Cut Injury Risks

Amtrak has begun installing redesigned seats, overhead luggage carriers and restraints on microwave ovens in food cars, to help reduce the risk of injuries in train accidents, its president said Wednesday.

W. Graham Claytor Jr., president and chairman of the board of Amtrak, said the corporation began most of the design changes before three Conrail freight engines collided with an Amtrak passenger train on Jan. 4 near Baltimore, killing 16 people and injuring 175.

“Amtrak has an ongoing program to modify existing equipment to improve the interior of our passenger cars,” Claytor told the House Science Committee’s subcommittee on transportation, aviation and materials.

“Some of this has already been accomplished, but we are currently developing further improvements in seat covers, seat restraints, baggage restraints and microwave oven restraints,” he said.