Washington Subway Trains in Collision

[Kira's Mom]

Weird... this morning NPR said the death toll was actually seven, not nine, but now it's nine again.

So far, no one I know was there, but I know a *lot* of people out there...

Anyone hear from flamingliberal, or Dennis yet?

They've both been in TNZ.

I haven't heard from Shatna or Kass in ages.

 

[Lindley]

Kass lived in Fairfax (not too far from me) last I heard; there's little reason to think she'd be anywhere near a train on the Maryland side of DC. Dunno about Shatna.

 

[doubleohfive]

Kass is in gmail all the time. But I haven't heard from Shatna in a while. He posted something on his LJ about a month ago, but other than that, haven't seen, talked to, or heard from him in a long while.

 

[Colonel Midnight]

I'm over on the Northern VA side, so didn't even know about until my climbing buddy said something at the gym as we were finishing up last night. *yowza*

Sad indeed. From what it sounds like (I just browsed through some of the reports this morning), apparently it was one of the older, even oldest, train models on the system, so didn't have all the safety systems installed.



Cheers,
-CM-

 

[ShamelessMcBundy]

Wow i totally missed this.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Shatna is seldom heard from these days, being very busy in real life; I'll shoot him a PM to see how he's doing.

 

[Danoz]

and I still took the red line home 2 hours after it happened.

Presumably you didn't need to pass that point on the tracks for your trip?

Nope, opposite direction from downtown... but I head into Silver Spring via red-line almost every weekend. Used to live in that area. Having passed through Fort Totten more times than I can count, the entire thing is pretty unsettling.

Additionally, by all logic-- this shouldn't have happened. Metro trains have a failsafe to prevent trains from ever getting close to one another. Second, the trains outside of Fort Todden are above ground and it was broad daylight on a clear day heading into the city, the operator should have seen the parked train from several blocks away.

 

[Lindley]

The other guy around that area is Warp Coil, but I think he's a bit farther north.

 

[Shatna]

Thanks for the concern, those of you who asked. I was on the Va side this week, so nowhere near the Red Line thank Crom. Last week I was all up and down it, so you never know.

 

[Squiggy]

I'M FINE TOO GUYS!

 

[pookha]

I'm over on the Northern VA side, so didn't even know about until my climbing buddy said something at the gym as we were finishing up last night. *yowza*

Sad indeed. From what it sounds like (I just browsed through some of the reports this morning), apparently it was one of the older, even oldest, train models on the system, so didn't have all the safety systems installed.



Cheers,
-CM-

they were warned back in 2006 to replace the older trains and they didnt.
now they not only have to answer to the ntsb but more sadly the people who were hurt and the loves ones of the people lost.

idiots.

 

[Kira's Mom]

Thanks for the concern, those of you who asked. I was on the Va side this week, so nowhere near the Red Line thank Crom. Last week I was all up and down it, so you never know.

*whew* Glad to hear from ya!

Squiggy's okay too? Oh, damn- I mean, awesome!

 

[ShamelessMcBundy]

I'M FINE TOO GUYS!

Damn.


Glad you're ok.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Thanks for checking in, Shatna.

 

[RobertVA]

Maybe the newer trains protect passengers better in a crash, but consider how many million people have safely reached their destination in those older trains without getting hurt. Replacing all of those older trains (instead of the ones damaged in the wreak) would cost millions of dollars the transit agency probably doesn't have.

The alternative would be junking the older trains without replacing them, which would make an already crowded system (at least during commuting periods) even more crowded. Maybe they could hire agents to stand on the station platforms and push passengers into trains that are already so crowded people literally don't have room to fall over!

The best course is avoiding collisions and derailments entirely. That doesn't mean buying flimsy new equipment, but imagine how safe (and ridiculous) it would be to limit train speeds to five MPH, build the entire train out of half inch steel plate (better eliminate those windows) and line every interior surface (including seats and grab bars) with a couple of inches of cushy foam rubber.