Statement on Metrolink about today's crash

Here's a statement released a few minutes ago from Metrolink about the crash earlier today between a San Bernardino-bound Metrolink train and a freight train in Rialto:

Today at approximately 11:30 a.m. Metrolink Train 306, traveling from Los Angeles to San Bernardino, came into contact at low speed with a Burlington Northern Santa Fe local freight train, which was entering a siding in Rialto.  The Metrolink train was traveling eastbound, with a locomotive in the lead, with two crew members on the locomotive.  The contact between the Metrolink locomotive and the freight train is characterized as a minor sideswipe, not head-on, with no attendant damage to passenger coaches or freight cars, nor to track and signal facilities.  There were 15 passengers on board the train.  Four passengers reported minor injuries and have been transported to local medical facilities.  The National Transportation Safety Board has responded to the scene. 

 “Although this incident occurred at a low speed, any incident on the Metrolink system is unacceptable,” said Metrolink Board Vice Chairman Keith Millhouse.  “This incident will be fully investigated to determine the cause, and measures will be taken to ensure that incidents like this do not happen again.”

Train service on the San Bernardino Line continues to operate on schedule between Los Angeles Union Station and Rancho Cucamonga, with bus service between Rancho Cucamonga and San Bernardino. Train service between Rancho Cucamonga and San Bernardino will resume once the NTSB releases the scene.

Comments

[Damien Goodmon]

"There already exists an independent oversight body to review and audit the sales tax revenues received by Metro, including those funds which are distributed by Metro to other agencies and to the cities in Los Angeles County. It has existed for more than ten years now"

With the way things have been run at MTA, I don't fault people for not believing such an entity exists!

[Kymberleigh Richards]

Point of information: There already exists an independent oversight body to review and audit the sales tax revenues received by Metro, including those funds which are distributed by Metro to other agencies and to the cities in Los Angeles County. It has existed for more than ten years now, and Metro has no say as to who is appointed. Oversight bodies are not created by the initiative process, in any event.

[Spokker]

I've tried to defend Metrolink in the past but not this time. I find myself losing faith in this organization and I just don't care anymore.

Instead of worrying about what's in passengers' bags why not worry about getting their trains to not crash into other trains?

[J in Pasadena]

Well, let's see who or what they are going to blame this time. I think texting is off the list because the engineers are still alive to defend themselves. Of course, antiquated signals can *never* be wrong, even when three witnesses reported errors at Chatsworth. ("I don't wear glasses." -- http://www.latimes.com/news/local/valley/la-me-traincrash4-2008oct04,0,4218592.story ) It's time for the people to rise up and demand something in exchange for their tax dollars. Perhaps an initiative is in order to create an oversight body for Metrolink and the MTA.