The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released a preliminary report for its ongoing investigation of the Feb. 22, 2026, collision involving a freight train (CN-subsidiary Illinois Central Railway Company or IC) and a stationary passenger train (Amtrak) during a switching operation near Memphis, Tenn.
What Happened?
At about 11:00 a.m. local time, an IC mixed freight train (Z19491-21) reversed on main track 1 during a switching operation and struck a stationary Amtrak passenger train (59-21) at milepost 9.6 on the Shelby Subdivision, according to the NTSB, which published its report on March 18 and noted that the information is “preliminary and subject to change.” The IC train comprised two head-end locomotives and 82 railcars and was crewed by a conductor and engineer. The Amtrak train comprised one locomotive and seven railcars; onboard were 118 riders and a crew of seven Amtrak employees.
“The IC train was shoving north about 10 mph on main track 1 when it struck the Amtrak train’s locomotive on the same track,” the NTSB reported. When interviewed, the government agency said, “the IC crew said that they interpreted the collision as resistance from an air brake problem, pulled forward, and reversed again. This movement ended about three minutes after the first collision in a second, lower-speed collision with the Amtrak locomotive.” The collisions resulted in minor injuries to two Amtrak employees and two riders, the NTSB said, noting that no other injuries were reported. Visibility conditions at the time of the collision were daylight and clear; the weather was 41°F with no precipitation, according to the agency.
The Amtrak train was southbound from Chicago to New Orleans, a route that includes other railroads’ track, the NTSB reported. The main track in the area of the accident is owned and operated by IC and was equipped with a PTC (positive train control) system; train movements were coordinated by CN dispatch in Homewood, Ill. “Shortly before the collision, the Amtrak train advanced past a restricting signal into the block where the IC train was switching,” the NTSB said. “A restricting signal allows a train to proceed at restricted speed, meaning the crew must be prepared to stop within one-half their range of vision and must not exceed 20 mph (see Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations 236.812). The Amtrak crew stopped their train when they observed the IC train ahead.”
According to the NTSB, before the collision the IC crew obtained dispatcher permission to conduct switching operations in the accident area, set out 21 railcars on main track 1, moved south to enter an intermodal yard, and picked up 61 railcars. They then reversed northward and recoupled with the 21 railcars. The conductor directed this coupling movement from the ground, and after coupling, the crew kept shoving north to pick up the conductor with the lead locomotive but collided with the Amtrak train before the locomotive reached him, the NTSB reported.
Next Steps
All aspects of the collision remain under investigation, while the NTSB said it determines the probable cause “with the intent to issue safety recommendations to prevent similar events.”
Parties to the investigation include the Federal Railroad Administration; Tennessee Department of Transportation; Amtrak; CN; American Train Dispatcher Association; Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen; and International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers.
According to the NTSB, the timing between the beginning of an investigation and a probable cause determination and report varies based on the complexity of the investigation and the workload of the agency’s investigators. In general, the NTSB said it tries to complete an investigation within 12 to 24 months, “but these and other factors can greatly affect that timing.”
