UPDATE: Train Traveled Faster Than 100 MPH; 7 Killed When Amtrak Train Heading To N.J. Derailed

By JIM BOYLE, JUSTIN HEINZE and TOM DAVIS

The speed of the Amtrak train going into a curve before it traveled into New Jersey may have been a factor that caused the fatal derailment Tuesday evening, officials said.

The train was traveling 106 mph going into the Port Richmond turn that has a 50 mph speed limit, the National Transportation Safety Board confirmed at a Wednesday afternoon press conference.

The engineer applied the brakes three seconds before the derailment, according to the NTSB.

“Further calibrations are being conducted.” according to the NTSB.

ABC News identified the engineer driving the Amtrak train as 32-year-old Brandon Bostian of Queens, N.Y. His LinkedIn profile says Bostian has worked at Amtrak for almost nine years, and previously worked as a passenger conductor before he became a passenger engineer in December 2010.

Since the crash, Bostian has not spoken publicly but he did change his Facebook profile photo to a completely black picture.

Bostian, originally from Memphis, graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 2006 and worked as a cashier at Target while in college, according to his Linkedin profile.

The Amtrak train traveling from Washington to New York crashed off its rails late Tuesday, killing 7 and injuring 146 people in the Port Richmond section of Philadelphia, according to authorities.

There were approximately 238 passengers and 5 crew members on board, Amtrak said. The fatalities include Justin Zemser, 20, a student from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis and Jim Gaines, 48, an employee of the Associated Press who lives in Plainsboro, N.J.

WUSA Channel 9 in Washington, D.C. also identified Abid Gilani, a senior vice president at Wells Fargo, as one of the deceased. The New York Times reported Wednesday afternoon that Rachel Jacobs, CEO of a Philadelphia tech firm who lived in Manhattan, was among the dead.

Other New Jersey passengers were aboard the train and reported what happened.

Max Helfman, 19, of Watchburg told NBC News he was on the last car of the Amtrak train and made it out with a few scratches, but his mother may have broken some of her ribs.

“My mother flew and I literally had to catch her,” Helfman told the network.Authorities said Wednesday they have recovered the “black box” recorders that could give insight into how the Amtrak train derailed.

Speaking during a Wednesday press conference, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter confirmed the ”black box,” or voice and data recorders, that could reveal what happened just prior to the crash were recovered.

Nutter, who confirmed early Wednesday that five died at the scene, said he’s “never seen” destruction like this. He said the train conductor was hospitalized but was recovering.

Medical personnel confirmed that a sixth person died at Temple University Hospital early Wednesday and eight people were listed in critical condition. Authorities expanded the death toll later in the day.

Amtrak released a statement early Wednesday, saying:

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of life from Amtrak Northeast Regional Train 188 that derailed [in] Philadelphia Tuesday evening. We ask the news media to be respectful of our customers, our employees, and their families.”

Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Derrick Sawyer called the accident a “mass casualty” incident. SEPTA shut down service on the Chestnut Hill West and Trenton Regional Rail lines until further notice.

Individuals with questions about their friends and family should call the Amtrak Incident Hotline at 800-523-9101. Amtrak has also established a Family Assistance Center to work closely with family and friends of passengers on the train.

On Wednesday, modified Amtrak service was to be provided between Washington and Philadelphia, Harrisburg and Philadelphia, and New York and Boston. Amtrak service between New York and Philadelphia was canceled, but NJ Transit was to honor Amtrak tickets between New York City and Trenton, according to Amtrak.

Train 188 was traveling from Washington D.C. to New York City when it ”shook” as it entered a turn, before crashing off the rails, the reports state.

The accident happened at Wheatsheaf Lane late Tuesday, according to emergency personnel reporting on Twitter.

The National Transportation Safety Board confirmed the accident around 10:15 p.m.

Social media showed bleeding passengers and train cars flipped on their side.

Amtrak released a statement earlier Wednesday:

“We are aware of the derailment of Northeast Regional train 188 north of Philadelphia and will provide updates as they become available.”

Several cars in the front of the train went off the tracks, some overturning, according to The Associated Press.

This story is developing. Refresh the page for details that will be added as they come in.

Photos: Youtube, @PatrickMurphyPA, Channel 10 video of crash; Linkedin Photo of Brandon Bostian

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