Just saw, he realized he was going too fast six seconds before the crash and applied the brakes. Hit the 30 mph curve at 79 mph instead of 80 mph. In another earlier article I read that this was being used as a "training run", and I've see other mention that there was a "conductor" ( or i.e. other personnel ) in the cab at the time of the crash.
From my POV, I blame the unions. Not them directly, but the whole system that has derived from the deferral to them, which denies the RR company autonomy over the operation the RR.
So, I'm thinking that the RR could never even think of laying down special rules for this unique inaugural run, and in fact did not, so that things proceeded according to entrenched protocol, which led to these incompetent boobs in the cab twiddling their thumbs while they charged into oblivion.
Just IMHO.
I blame the Engineer...for not knowing the speed limits on the track ahead of him or her...