Plaque honoring Metrolink train crash victims unveiled

Metrolink officials unveiled a commemorative plaque this morning at Union Station in downtown Los Angeles dedicated to those who have lost their lives on Metrolink trains.

"[The plaque] was designed to remind us of those who we have lost," said Metrolink Board Chairman Keith Millhouse. He said the plaque also is meant to honor those affected by train accidents, including friends, loved ones and first-responders.

A large group of law enforcement and Metrolink officials, Red Cross workers and train commuters stood watch and applauded as Millhouse removed a black cloth to reveal the large bronze plaque depicting a track nearing a tree-shrouded bend.

Beneath the picture it reads: "`Unfinished Journeys.' In memory of those who have died, With empathy of those affected, In gratitude to those who responded and rescued."

The unveiling comes as the one-year anniversary of the Sept. 12, 2008, Metrolink crash in Chatsworth nears. Twenty-five people died and 135 were injured when the Metrolink train collided head-on with a Union Pacific train.

-- Ruben Vives

 Photo: Metrolink Board Chairman Keith Millhouse speaks at a dedication ceremony for a plaque honoring Metrolink crash victims at L.A.'s Union Station. Credit: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times.

Datadesk: Database of fatalities and memories from the Sept. 12, 2008, train collision.

Related: Metrolink struggles with reforms

Comments

[A Metrolink rider]

Maybe we should have this sort of plaque in airports!

[Big Jim Slade]

Perhaps a plaque to the stupidity of Metrolink management is in order as well. As I recall they had no Chief Engineer during the project's heyday.

Why you may ask?

Back in the early 1990's, one of the conditions of the job was that the Chief Engineer was personally liable for all accidents. Not too surprisingly, no one would take the job.

No chief engineer, no double tracking at the most unsafe junction in the entire system, no fiber optics (deleted from the job due to cost), and no advanced automatic track switching. There was simply no one to fight for it. The job was run by hack contract administrators hellbent on squeezing dimes. These people died because of bad lawyers and poor management. That they hired a texting twit to drive the train isn't really too surprising in retrospect either.

That the Times completely missed this part of the story is shocking. I suppose that would have required paying attention, doing your homework, and having staff with more than three years of experience. No doubt there will be a great article on dope smoking in next Sunday's issue though.

[Don]

A more fitting tribute would include the following (as a bare minimum):
1. Dedicated tracks for the exclusive use of Metrolink
2. An end to the practice of engines pushing rail cars (imagine the far greater loss of life in the Chatsworth accident if those cars had been pushed -- as in the Glendale accident -- instead of pulled with the engine taking the brunt of the collision)

[P J Evans]

Excuse me, can we at least blame whoever put the signal sensor so close to the switch that it doesn't change until it's too late to stop a train? And the texting engineer (that's just stupid)?

Otherwise, you're complaining about stuff that had nothing to do with this accident. And probably won't have anything to do with the next one, either.

[James Osborn]

Metrolink Board Chairman Keith Millhouse should do the Los Angeles area a favor and resign, since it has been his lack of effective safety leadership that led to the Chattsworth crash and so many other crashes. If the death toll were limited to just last year's Sept 12 crash, then scores of people would still be alive. But several times more die at poorly designed highway grade rail crossings, including 2 just one hour after the Chattsworth crash. Some crossings have had multiple deadly accidents, and still remain unchanged. If Mr. Millhouse had only read NTSB safety reports and acted upon them, last years accident most likely never would have happened. (It was very similar to one in Silver Spring, MD in 1996.) He only makes excuses or reacts to past events if in the public spotlight. He and is never proactive about safety. We need someone better.

[Atty Gordon Johnson]

It is important to remember to be cautious when driving or operating heavy machinery. There are many distractions that can be dangerous when driving. It is important to limit these distractions, which means not using your cellphone while driving and not driving while exhausted. It is always a tragedy when someone dies and their death could have been prevented.

Attorney Gordon Johnson
http://fishtail.tv

[Amy]

I find this all a little strange. I don't want to be reminded of train crash fatalities while I'm standing there waiting to board a train. That would be like waiting at an airport gate and reading a list of all who had died in plane crashes.

[Amazed]

Wow! Stupidity never fails to amaze. Sorry for those who were killed or injured as a result of our failings. And just to show we're sorry, here's a plaque to honor you and remind other travelers,we'll always honor those who die because of our negligence.