Engineer in deadly 2017 train derailment sues Amtrak

People work at the curve leading to the railroad bridge where an Amtrak train derailed onto Interstate 5 two days earlier Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. The Amtrak train that careened off the overpass south of Seattle, killing at least three people, was hurtling 50 mph over the speed limit when it jumped the track, federal investigators say, when it derailed along a curve, spilling railcars onto the highway below. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Elaine Thompson/AP

Vehicles fill the highway at the scene of an Amtrak train crash onto Interstate 5 from the railroad bridge above two days earlier Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. The Amtrak train that careened off the overpass south of Seattle, killing at least three people, was hurtling 50 mph over the speed limit when it jumped the track, federal investigators say, when it derailed along a curve, spilling railcars onto the highway below. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Elaine Thompson/AP

The engine from an Amtrak train that crashed onto Interstate 5 on Monday, is transported away from the scene, Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. Federal investigators in the deadly train wreck want to know whether the engineer was distracted by a second person in his cab as his train hurtled into a curve at more than twice the speed limit. The train took a 30 mph curve at 80 mph and plunged off an overpass, sending rail cars plummeting onto a busy highway south of Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Elaine Thompson/AP

The engine from an Amtrak train crash onto Interstate 5 two on Monday, sits on a transport carrier before being driven away from the scene, Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. Federal investigators in the deadly train wreck want to know whether the engineer was distracted by a second person in his cab as his train hurtled into a curve at more than twice the speed limit. The train took a 30 mph curve at 80 mph and plunged off an overpass, sending rail cars plummeting onto a busy highway south of Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Elaine Thompson/AP

State Patrol officers and workers gather before transporting the engine from an Amtrak train crash two days earlier away from the scene, Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. Federal investigators in the deadly train wreck want to know whether the engineer was distracted by a second person in his cab as his train hurtled into a curve at more than twice the speed limit. The train took a 30 mph curve at 80 mph and plunged off an overpass, sending rail cars plummeting onto a busy highway south of Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Elaine Thompson/AP

The engine from an Amtrak train crash onto Interstate 5 on Monday, is checked by workers before being transported away from the scene, Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. Federal investigators in the deadly train wreck want to know whether the engineer was distracted by a second person in his cab as his train hurtled into a curve at more than twice the speed limit. The train took a 30 mph curve at 80 mph and plunged off an overpass, sending rail cars plummeting onto a busy highway south of Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Elaine Thompson/AP

The engine from an Amtrak train crash onto Interstate 5 two days earlier is checked by workers before being transported away from the scene, Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. The Amtrak train that careened off the overpass south of Seattle, killing at least three people, was hurtling 50 mph over the speed limit when it jumped the track, federal investigators say. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Elaine Thompson/AP

A damaged Amtrak passenger train car is lifted from the tracks at the site of the derailment of an Amtrak train in Dupont, Wash., Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2017. Investigators are looking into whether the Amtrak engineer whose speeding train plunged off an overpass on Monday, killing several people, was distracted by the presence of an employee-in-training next to him in the locomotive, a federal official said Tuesday. (Thomas James/Pool via AP)
Thomas James/AP

A damaged Amtrak passenger train car sits on a flatbed truck after being lifted from the tracks at the site of the derailment of an Amtrak train in Dupont, Wash., Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2017. Investigators are looking into whether the Amtrak engineer whose speeding train plunged off an overpass on Monday, killing several people, was distracted by the presence of an employee-in-training next to him in the locomotive, a federal official said Tuesday. (Thomas James/Pool via AP)
Thomas James/AP

Workers examine a damaged bridge section at the site of the derailment of an Amtrak train in Dupont, Wash., Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2017. Investigators are looking into whether the Amtrak engineer whose speeding train plunged off an overpass on Monday, killing several people, was distracted by the presence of an employee-in-training next to him in the locomotive, a federal official said Tuesday. (Thomas James/Pool via AP)
Thomas James/AP

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, right, talks with Washington State Patrol Chief John Batiste after they spoke to media members near the scene of an Amtrak train crash onto Interstate 5 a day earlier Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. Federal investigators say they don't yet know why the Amtrak train was traveling 50 mph over the speed limit when it derailed Monday south of Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Elaine Thompson/AP

A damaged train car sits on a flatbed trailer at left as work continues to remove other cars at the scene of an Amtrak train crash onto Interstate 5 a day earlier Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. Federal investigators say they don't yet know why the train was traveling 50 mph over the speed limit when it derailed Monday, killing some people and injuring dozens. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Elaine Thompson/AP

A damaged train car sits on a flatbed trailer after being removed from the scene of Monday's deadly Amtrak train crash onto Interstate 5 as northbound traffic passes nearby Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. Federal investigators say they don't yet know why the Amtrak train was traveling 50 mph over the speed limit when it derailed Monday south of Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Elaine Thompson/AP

An investigator takes photos off a railroad bridge at the scene of where an Amtrak train derailed above Interstate 5, Monday, Dec. 18, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. The Amtrak train making the first-ever run along a faster new route hurtled off the overpass Monday near Tacoma and spilled some of its cars onto the highway below, killing several people, authorities said. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Elaine Thompson/AP

TACOMA, Wash. — The engineer who was at the controls during the deadly 2017 Amtrak derailment, that sent passenger cars hurtling off the tracks over Interstate 5 near Olympia, has filed a lawsuit against Amtrak in Pierce County Superior Court.

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Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board earlier said the derailment happened because the engineer, Steven Brown, was improperly trained and lost track of where he was on the route. He was going more than twice the speed limit when he hit a curve during the train's inaugural run on a new bypass route.

Brown's lawsuit, filed this week, says Amtrak had not properly trained him on the new route or the locomotive controls before the Dec. 18, 2017 derailment.

Brown also alleges that Amtrak is at fault for not installing Positive Train Control, a new technology designed to prevent trains from exceeding safe speeds, on the new route before the crash.

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In addition, Amtrak failed to warn Brown of the potential dangers and for permitting hazardous conditions on its premises, tracks and equipment where employees are required to work, the lawsuit alleges.

As a result of the derailment, Brown's lawsuit says he suffered physical and emotional injuries, wage loss and medical expenses. He is seeking unspecified damages from Amtrak.

Amtrak Cascades train 501 derailed as it entered a curve on an overpass, above I-5, on the inaugural run of Point Defiance Bypass, between Seattle and Portland. The curve was a 30 mph zone and investigators say the train was traveling at 78 mph.

The lead locomotive and four rail cars tumbled off the tracks and fell onto I-5, striking eight vehicles. Three people died, 57 were injured from the train and eight from the vehicles that were hit.

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Brown's lawsuit follows many filed by others on the train. There were 77 passengers and six crew members on board at the time of the crash.

This article first appeared on KOMO NEWS.