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Green Line train was going 36 mph in a 10 mph zone when it derailed, NTSB report finds
A Green Line trolley was speeding and failed to stop for a signal before derailing near Lechmere Station Oct. 1, officials said Wednesday.
A Green Line trolley that derailed earlier this month near Lechmere Station was traveling at more than three times the speed limit and failed to stop for a signal before it went off the tracks, the National Transportation Safety Board said Wednesday.
The eastbound train had just departed Lechmere and was carrying about 50 passengers and two crewmembers when it derailed at about 4:46 p.m. on Oct. 1, according to the NTSB’s preliminary report.
The two-car train entered a 10 mph zone at 36 mph, passed through a double red signal when it should have stopped, and reached a switch that was still moving to direct the train onto the diverging track, the NTSB said.
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“When the train passed over the switch, the lead truck of its leading railcar continued straight, while the next two trucks of that same railcar took the diverging track and then derailed,” the preliminary report read.
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Visibility was clear and there was no precipitation at the time, the NTSB said.
Seven passengers were taken to a local hospital with minor injuries, according to the NTSB. Damage estimates were still being tallied as of Wednesday, the agency noted.
In a statement, the MBTA said it is reviewing the NTSB’s preliminary report and expressed appreciation for the agency’s work. Early on in the investigation, T officials suggested the train operator’s actions could have contributed to the derailment. Wednesday’s preliminary report sheds more light on the exact chain of events.
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“The NTSB has affirmed the MBTA’s initial assessment that the Green Line train operator was exceeding the posted speed limit at the time of the derailment,” the T said. “The train operator remains out of service while the MBTA Safety Department completes its own investigation.”
The agency also reiterated its dedication to safety.
“The safety and well-being of MBTA riders and employees are of the utmost importance,” the T said in its statement. “The MBTA has been working aggressively to improve safety at all levels and has stepped up its focus on compliance with operating rules, including adherence to posted speed limits.”
As part of that mission, the MBTA said it has more than doubled the size of its safety Department in the past three years, “broadening the scope of its activities and training thousands of employees to help foster a culture in which safety is prioritized and integrated into the MBTA’s core mission of delivering safe and reliable services on a daily basis.”
The NTSB said its investigation into the derailment is ongoing, with future inquiries to focus on speed rules compliance and internal and external oversight.
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