MBTA/Green Line Crash in subway tunnel; many hurt, Engineer Texting :( Options

[Long Train Runnin']

From Boston Globe

Saying he was having difficulty containing his outrage, the MBTA's chief said a trolley driver was text-messaging from his cellphone when he rear-ended another Green Line trolley on Friday night, sending scores of people to the hospital and forcing the closure of the Government Center station.

Rest Here


From Boston Channel .com

The driver of a Green Line trolley that rear-ended another trolley, injuring at least 46 people near Boston's Government Center station Friday, was texting at the time of the crash, MBTA General Manager Daniel Grabauskas said.

Rest HERE

This really makes me sick I mean sure no one died in this case but after the whole FRA thing on cell phones to have this happening...

[CNJRoss]

The Boston Globe Breaking News, 5/8:

At least 40 injured in Green Line T crash

Two Green Line trains crashed while heading westbound between Government Center and Park Street on Friday night, injuring at least 40 people, although none of the injuries were life threatening, according to MBTA and Emergency Medical Services officials.

The crash was reported at about 7:19 p.m, according to one MBTA police official. One train is believed to have crashed into the back of another stationary train at the Government Center platform, said MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo. Each train had two cars, he said. Police and EMS reported to the scene, and fire officials reported evacuating 100 people.

Continue.

[KevinKorell]

MSNBC, 5/9/09:

BOSTON - A trolley rear-ended another trolley that was stopped between two underground stations in downtown Boston on Friday night, injuring about 50 people. One of the operators told police he was texting at the time of the crash, officials said.

Story is here.

Officials would not release the conductor's name, but MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo said he had been on the job for less than two years.

Conductor?

[CNJRoss]

AP via WTOP radio, 5/9:

Cell phone ban may follow Mass. trolley crash

BOSTON (AP) - The head of the Boston-area transit authority said Saturday he'll ban all train and bus operators from even carrying cell phones on board after a trolley driver told police he was texting his girlfriend before a collision Friday.

About 50 people were hurt in the underground crash in downtown Boston, though none of the injuries was life-threatening.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority already bans operators from using cell phones and recently ran an internal ad campaign featuring a poster of an open cell phone that warned employees not to drive "under the influence."

Continue.

[CNJRoss]

************************************************************
NTSB ADVISORY
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National Transportation Safety Board
Washington, DC 20594

May 9, 2009

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NTSB SENDING TEAM TO INVESTIGATE TROLLEY COLLISION IN BOSTON

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The National Transportation Safety Board has launched a go-team to investigate the collision of two trolleys on Boston's MBTA Green Line.

At approximately 7:19 pm (EDT) on Friday, a trolley struck another trolley from behind near the Government Center station in downtown Boston. Multiple injuries have been reported.

Senior Railroad Investigator Ted Turpin is the Investigator-in-Charge and will lead a team of eight. NTSB Board Member Deborah A.P. Hersman is accompanying the team and will serve as the on-scene spokesman. Peter Knudson will accompany the team as press officer.

[KevinKorell]

What a fine way to extol the virtues of trains on the eve of National Train Day. If anyone had their doubts about riding trains, this incident allegedly caused by human error certainly won't help the cause.

[Long Train Runnin']

I agree this is bad news but what I don't understand (Granted I know virtually nothing about MBTA) is why all these reports make it seem like a conductor was operating a train?

[EdFindlay]

What a fine way to extol the virtues of trains on the eve of National Train Day. If anyone had their doubts about riding trains, this incident allegedly caused by human error certainly won't help the cause.

Second one in under a year involving possible cell phone usage and the Green Line doesn't help either...

[EdFindlay]

I agree this is bad news but what I don't understand (Granted I know virtually nothing about MBTA) is why all these reports make it seem like a conductor was operating a train?

They misused the term.

[EvergreenRailfan]

I understand that the Green Line is a Light Rail line that evolved from a streetcar operation, and uses the old Boston Subway, but I was wondering, what kind of signal system is used in the subway portion, and could it have prevented this? I do understand that the MBTA Green Line operators have duties that operators here don't have, such as on-board fare collection. Still, nobody should be texting while driving, whether you are driving alone, or a Light Rail Vehicle with a lot of passengers.