​On January 15, 2022, about 2:15 p.m. local time, a National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) conductor was killed after becoming separated from an open side passenger door of an Amfleet railcar in Amtrak train 163-15 that was traveling on track 1 at about 40 mph on its approach to the Westerly Passenger Station, in Westerly, Rhode Island.

​ We ​determined that the probable cause of the January 15, 2022, conductor fatality was the conductor’s fall from an open side passenger door on Amtrak train 163-15 while moving at 40 mph. Contributing to the accident was (1) the conductor’s use of the side passenger emergency door release to open a railcar door while the train was operating at a speed of 40 mph and (2) Amtrak’s accepted practice of allowing side doors to be opened on approach to stations to allow crewmembers to monitor the platform.​