Location Transport

D.C. Red Line crash - How did the train not know there was another stopped in front of it?

Isn't 'the train was rear-ended' an "explanation of the accident"? Taken from Yahoo's article: "Metro chief John Catoe said the first train was stopped on the tracks, waiting for another to clear the station ahead, when the trailing train plowed into it from behind. Each train had six cars and was capable of holding as many as 1,200 people. Officials had no explanation for the accident. The National Transportation Safety Board took charge of the investigation and sent a team to the site of the worst accident in the Metro system's 33-year history." Other sources: 1) CNN - http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/06/22/washington.subway.crash/index.html 2) MSN - http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/06/22/washington.subway.crash/index.html 3) USA Today - http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-06-22-metro-collision_N.htm

Public Comments

1. perhaps the controller forgot to change the signals
2. Could be the operator of the train became sick and passed out. Wouldn't be the first time something like that happened. We will just have to wait for the official answer.
3. the driver night have been some how incapacitated.
4. I live in the DC area, and so far it has been determined that the operator tried to use the emergency brake, but it has failed. Also, there was a computer problem somehow on the tracks that caused the train the crash into the other train. It is a very scary thing to see, and my condolences go out to the victims, both living and dead. I really hope that this does not happen again.