Express train derails in US

A train carrying tourists and their cars on a non-stop journey to Washington hurtled off the tracks in northern Florida last night, killing six people and injuring dozens.

The Auto Train was carrying 425 passengers and 28 crew members from Sanford, Florida, to the capital, said Amtrak, the national train company operating the service.

The cause of the derailment is not known, but investigators have not found any vehicles on the track. The tracks were inspected eight hours earlier and were in good condition, said a spokeswoman for CSX Corp, which owns and maintains the tracks.

Firefighters climbed ladders to reach windows on overturned cars and helped people escape. Three passengers were flown by helicopter to Shands Hospital at the University of Florida in Gainesville.

"Suddenly you could feel the brakes scraping," said David Sheldon, 71, who was travelling from Boca Raton, Florida. He said it took about 30 seconds for the train to come to a halt. "It seemed like forever," he said.

Robert Dodd Sr, 74, of Willingboro, New Jersey, said he and his wife were sitting down to dinner when the train derailed. His wife, Betty, lay on a backboard with a brace on her neck and a cut on her elbow.

The Auto Train consisted of two engines, 16 passenger cars and 23 car racks, Amtrak said.

Other trains were being rerouted to avoid the area.