Product Liability Law Blog

Investigators are inspecting all of the signaling circuits in the Metro system following Monday’s devastating DC train crash that injured 80 people and killed 9. The 740-foot-long circuit is a key part of the automated control system for the Metro trains, and yesterday, “anomalies” were discovered when the circuit malfunctioned while undergoing tested.

Metro’s train protection system consists of these circuits, which are located on the track. Whenever a train crosses a circuit, the signals are supposed to be transmitted to following trains. The signals, if working correctly, should automatically adjust a train’s speed so it doesn’t hit the train that is ahead of it. In the event that a train enters the two-block buffer zone, the computers are supposed to activate the train’s brakes. The train that crashed into a second train during rush hour on Monday was run by computers.

The National Transportation Safety Board’s Debbie Hersman says that the NTSB is concerned that the train that smashed into the second train was a 1000-series train—the oldest in the Metro fleet. A few years ago, the NTSB recommended that these trains be replaced because of questions as to whether they could safely withstand a train crash.

These cars have been known to fold into themselves during train accidents. The lead car belonging to the striking train that caused Monday’s devastating collision was compressed by 2/3rds.

Already, the first personal injury lawsuit from this week’s DC train collision has been filed. The parents of 15-year-old Davonne Flanagan are accusing the District of “negligent maintenance” and “negligent operation.” Davonne, who was in the first car of the striking train, fractured his leg. His parents are seeking $950,000.

Train Defects
Train crashes often result in serious injuries and deaths for passengers—especially during rush hour when trains are packed with people. While human error, such as poor maintenance or negligence on the train operator’s part, have been known to cause many catastrophic train crashes, there are train collisions that occur because part of the train malfunctioned, the brakes were fault, the railroad track had a defect, or a signal failed to work correctly.

Metro Reviewing All Train Signaling Circuits in Wake of Accident, Washington Post, June 25, 2009

Suit against Metro alleges negligence, WTOP, June 25, 2009

Washington Metro crash probe eyes speed circuits, AFP, June 25, 2009

NTSB: Train in crash was recommended for phaseout, AP/Yahoo, June 23, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority

National Transportation Safety Board