Passenger Trains > DC Metro tampered with evidence of train separation

WUSA
October 20, 2020 

WASHINGTON — The Washington Metrorail Safety Commission released its findings Tuesday on several investigations, including a Red Line train that pulled apart earlier this month.

On Oct. 9, two Red Line Metro cars uncoupled on the way from Union Station to NoMa trapping 108  passengers for more than an hour, while D.C. Fire and EMS worked to clear the scene. No one was hurt, but the commission says multiple factors came into play to cause those train cars to separate."Our initial assessment of the evidence suggests that the pull-apart likely occurred due to an improperly torqued bolt," WMSC CEO David Mayer said. "The lack of damage to certain parts of the rail car suggests that the clamping bolt likely worked its way loose over time." 

The day after--when inspectors looked at the train--someone had tightened that bolt, without permission. The commission's main concerns are that Metro mishandled evidence, and that those in charge Oct. 9 didn't follow protocol.

"This is not the first time we have identified issues with the chain of custody of evidence or inappropriate handling of evidence related to Metrorail safety events," Mayer said.  

WMATA now has up to a month to propose a plan to ensure all employees know their role during and after an emergency."A holistic safety approach includes not only sufficient and up-to-date written policies, but also proper training for the people who need to implement those policies, and a process to verify that these are being followed," Mayer said. 

Following the Oct. 9 incident, other 6,000 series trains were taken out of service for further inspection last week. Of the 166 trains WMSC inspected, they were concerned about 18 and three of them had the wrong hardware.

It is not the first time WMATA has contended with trains detaching. A similar pull-apart occurred in 2018 on the Silver Line near the McLean Station.  

https://www.wusa9.com/article/traffic/mission-metro/metro-safety-concerns-after-train-uncoupling-wmsc-tampering-with-evidence/65-dea3690b-d229-46f8-a7a4-a3add8bc632a

The Washington Post report on this pull-apart notes that the independent safety panel  has issued 70 directives to Metro in the past two years.  "There is no evidence they have learned from their mistakes"


https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/metro-tampered-with-evidence-from-red-line-decoupling-incident-safety-commission-says/2020/10/20/502d0cee-12ec-11eb-ad6f-36c93e6e94fb_story.html

and so you have a system where one loose bolt can cause a pull apart failure????

Bob

robj Wrote:
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> and so you have a system where one loose bolt can cause a pull apart failure????


Things like that are more common than you would like to believe. 

IIRC one large castellated nut, missing it's cotter pin, loosened over time and dropped one end of a traction motor causing the March 7, 1990 wreck on the Market Frankford line in Philadelphia.  "The last three cars of a six-car Market-Frankford train derail and crash into steel pillars in a tunnel near 30th Street, killing four and injuring 158. The NTSB blames SEPTA's poor maintenance of a motor-support system."

Should I mention Boeing's 737 MAX?

Brian

 

I’m trying to figure out why a train separation is a fire department problem.

Posted from iPhone

Doug Wetherhold
Macungie, PA

ALCO630 Wrote:
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> I’m trying to figure out why a train separation
> is a fire department problem.
>
> Posted from iPhone

In DC, the fire fighters are also trained emergency medical responders.   There were injuries in this separation.

Here in Florida, the fire services are usually the principal emergency medical responders, too. If you dial 911, the dispatcher decides whether to send police or fire or EMS. In some counties, there are crisis intervention teams which handle some calls.

choodude Wrote:
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> Should I mention Boeing's 737 MAX?

Comparing Apricots to beets are we?

The Boeing 737 MAX debacle is an intended design flaw. Nothing to do with maintenance.

jst3751 Wrote:
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> choodude Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> > Should I mention Boeing's 737 MAX?
>
> Comparing Apricots to beets are we?
>
> The Boeing 737 MAX debacle is an intended design
> flaw. Nothing to do with maintenance.

Unlike https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_Airlines_Flight_261

TAW

jst3751 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> choodude Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> > Should I mention Boeing's 737 MAX?
>
> Comparing Apricots to beets are we?
>
> The Boeing 737 MAX debacle is an intended design flaw. Nothing to do with maintenance.

Gee I thought the topic was single point failures.  Such as a system being designed so that only one pitot tube controlled a flight critical software control.

Brian

TAW Wrote:
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> jst3751 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > choodude Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> >
> > > Should I mention Boeing's 737 MAX?
> >
> > Comparing Apricots to beets are we?
> >
> > The Boeing 737 MAX debacle is an intended
> design
> > flaw. Nothing to do with maintenance.
>
> Unlike
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_Airlines_Flig
> ht_261
>
> TAW


Since aircraft accidents are fair game, suspected failure was a castle nut (sans pin) that allowed an elevator tab to work loose...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emery_Worldwide_Flight_17



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/23/20 18:56 by ats90mph.