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Train operator might have caused Green Line train derailment at Lechmere, T official says
The MBTA is investigating how “human factors,” including the train operator’s action, could have been involved with the incident.
Multiple passengers were injured after a MBTA Green Line train in Cambridge derailed Tuesday evening, an event that might have been caused by the train operator, the MBTA said.
Multiple ladders with the Cambridge Fire Department responded to 10 Morgan Avenue around 5:10 p.m., the department posted on X. Medical crews, Cambridge Police, and the MBTA Transit Police were on scene.
A spokesperson for the MBTA said the wheels of a lead trolley came off the track heading eastbound at the Red Bridge, where the Medford/Tufts and Union branches of the Green Line intersect.
About 50 riders self-evacuated, the MBTA said, and headed toward an emergency exit in the track area. Six injuries were reported, and seven passengers were transported to local hospitals.
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Cambridge Fire said their crews disabled catenary power to the train, which are overhead wires. Earlier this year, downed Amtrak catenary wires caused hours-long delays on the Orange Line, and the Green Line’s overhead catenary system has been a target of repairs in the past.
“The MBTA sincerely apologizes to riders for the frustration and distress this incident has caused,” an MBTA spokesperson said. “We are committed to thoroughly investigating this matter to ensure this does not happen again.”
Tracks were safe, MBTA says, but agency to investigate ‘human factors’
MBTA Chief Operating Officer Ryan Coholan said the derailment was not caused by any issues with tracks, despite previous concerns about the Green Line extension tracks.
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The MBTA is currently investigating how “human factors,” including the train operator’s action, could have been involved with the incident.
Coholan told reporters at a press conference Tuesday night that crews were working to re-rail the vehicle, which will most likely take two to three hours.
The tracks will then be thoroughly inspected, and the vehicle will be taken off the tracks to be further investigated, he said.
“The MBTA has worked really hard over the last year to make remarkable improvements across the entire system,” Coholan said. “While we recognize that the track improvement program and this incident are not related, we are committed to making sure that we take every step to thoroughly investigate this incident.”
The MBTA said shuttle buses would replace service between North Station and Medford/Tufts due to the derailment. The transit agency also directed riders to the 87 bus, which runs from Lechmere to Arlington Center or Clarendon Hill in Somerville.
The MBTA announced later Tuesday night that service will be affected between North Station to Union Square and Medford/Tufts all day Wednesday.
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