Red Line Train Collision
All sorts of info pouring in. Here is the latest Bloomberg story at 6:45 EST. Perhaps we can use this thread to track progress and see what happened. hey are saying two dead and many injured. I am praying for everyone involved.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aPr8 u0Jh2SKg#
Quote:
Trains Collide in Washington, Killing at Least Two (Update2)
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By Angela Greiling Keane
June 22 (Bloomberg) -- Two Metro trains collided today on the Washington area transit system’s Red Line, killing at least two people, during the city’s evening rush hour.
Two people are confirmed dead and passengers have “many serious” injuries, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority said in a statement.
The collision and derailment occurred today at about 5 p.m. local time between the Takoma and Fort Totten stations, Metro said in a statement. Washington’s Metro is the second-largest U.S. heavy-rail transit system after New York City’s subway.
One of the people killed appears to be male, according to Brad Bell, a reporter for local station WJLA-TV. The person didn’t appear to be wearing a uniform, Bell said, when asked if it might have been the train driver.
“Clearly some have broken limbs,” Bell said. “Their legs are being splinted. There is a long line of ambulances at the ready.”
One of the trains that collided in Northeast Washington was going south and had six cars, Metro said in the statement. Metro trains can have as many as eight cars per train.
Metro’s trains run on five lines and carry an average of 987,000 passengers each weekday, according to the American Public Transportation Association.
To contact the reporter on this story: Angela Greiling Keane in Washington at agreilingkea@bloomberg.net
Last Updated: June 22, 2009 18:19 EDT
They are going back to the 7 figure now and saying that two people are in critical condition and that the death number could change.
Apparently it was the 1000 series car that was involved in the crash. It is also now being reported that there were nine(9) fatalities.
I'm sure the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) guys will eventually get to the bottom of it and issue findings. I do not see a lot of sense in speculating in the meantime.
Does anybody know which cars were involved? I'm strongly suspecting that the one that telescoped was a 1K series.
Just heard a statement from Metro head. he says that the second car ran into the back of the first. According to all of the safety procedures put in place as described on threads in this very forum, what could possibly have gone wrong on the technical side for this to happen? I know the operator of the second train was killed. It is all so sad, but for future safety, they have to figure out what happened.
Healing thoughts for all of those injured and prayers for the family of those who are no longer with us.
The wire service photos are showing one car about 3/4 "telescoped" on top of another one.
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On a lesser note:
Quote:
10:17 p.m.: Several readers report WMATA Alert: (ID 55700) Disruption at All Stations was cleared. Thank you for riding Metro.
Tuesday's Alerts
1:32 a.m.: WMATA Alert: (ID 55699) Disruption at Fort Totten was cleared. Thank you for riding Metro.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/getthere/2009/06/metro_aler ts_a_summary_of_aler.html?hpid=topnews