Dan Adler says that it wasn't bad track that caused the derail. CHS says it was rotten ties.
I was there two years ago and I say there is no way the ties were that bad. That was some of the best maintained track I had seen. Me thinks that the dieasel is just not suited for passenger traffic on that track. if there were four axles under it, the diesel could work well, but with the weight it has makes for very high track loading and potential for diaster. If you look at the photos of the derailment, it is little wonder that the FRA is looking into it. Another few feet and the loco would have tumbled down the high fill and may have taken some of the train with it. The guard rail did its job. But I would classify this derailment as a near miss, not minor.
SAM