Acceleration preceded Green Line crash
The Green Line train that crashed over the summer and sent 27 people to the hospital was in a “full-power position” traveling more than 30 mph, an NTSB report has found.
The National Transportation Safety Board on Tuesday issued a preliminary update to its investigation of the July 30 crash between two MBTA trains on Commonwealth Avenue in Boston. The short report noted that the investigation is ongoing and will focus “on internal and external oversight, operational testing, crashworthiness of the equipment involved, and employee fitness for duty,” per the NTSB.
The B branch crash sent 24 passengers and three T employees to the hospital with minor injuries following the Friday-evening collision. Just after 6 p.m. that day, one Green Line subway train struck another headed the same direction from behind, authorities say.
The NTSB notes that the sky was clear, with no precipitation.
“The striking train accelerated to a speed of 31 mph before colliding with the train ahead of it that was moving about 10 mph,” the federal investigators wrote. “A preliminary review of striking train’s event recorder data revealed that the operator of the striking train placed the master controller in a full-power position prior to the accident.”
The T put the operator, who hasn’t been identified, on leave after the crash and suspended him without pay this week. MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo on Tuesday said the T “is taking the steps necessary to end the employment of the individual involved in the collision.”
“The delivery of safe and reliable service is the MBTA’s top priority, and the MBTA took swift action following the July 30th incident to place the operator on leave. The MBTA and Transit Police will continue to work with the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office in its ongoing investigation into the trolley operator’s actions,” Pesaturo said in a statement. “The MBTA thanks the NTSB investigators for their diligence and hard work in establishing the facts surrounding the collision.”
As a result of the collision, two cars of the leading train and one car of the trailing train derailed. The striking train was traveling uphill, according to the NTSB.
Investigators were able to obtain data from the event recorder from the operating car of the striking train. The event recorder holds data regarding the operation of the train like speed, brake application, door positions and horn use.
Local prosecutors also continue to investigate.