BREAKING NEWS: Metro Trains Collide Between Takoma, Fort Totten

[79MetroExtraMD]

Updated: 19:11
Source: NBC 4
http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Metro-Trains-Collide-Between-Takoma-Fort-Totten.html

[BladensburgB2]

LETS JUST KEEP THE WMATA FAMILY IN OUR PRAYERS

[C40LF_2464]

Dang i left there about 30 min before this happend im glad i wasnt on that train or even near it . I pray that everybody is safe and alright. Im so pissed right now.

[Tritransit Area]

I'm keeping every passenger on those trains in my prayers.  You can't imagine how shaken I am by this...well, DE42LFA may since he just went through there - I have ridden that section of track between those two stations regularly my entire life.  My "DC Home" is in that area...my heart goes out to all of the passengers and their families....

[Tritransit Area]

Also, another Rohr involved....and it telescopes quite a bit.  Are the other cars stronger than the Rohrs?

[WES]

Well unfortunate news, at about 10pm, 6 killed over 70 injured and they are still searching for bodies.  I first heard about the accident about 7pm when my employee had it on his phone.  It's so sad and for us oldheads reminds of the crash years ago, the same day of the Air Florida crash.

Six lives are lost forever, hope that there won't be anymore.

[Antozilla]

From listening to CATOE, it looks like ATC is involved. 

[NewFlyer9736BCT]

It's one of those things where you have a family member go to work, kiss them goodbye, notice they're not coming home on time, turning on the news, and finding out they're seriously injured or dead...now that's just sad. My prayers go out to the families affected by this. Fortunately for me, my mom takes the west side of the red line, so I knew she wasn't in the crash, but still...pretty scary, I'm never sitting in an end car again if i'm gonna go on a single-track portion.

From listening to CATOE, it looks like ATC is involved. 

and ATC would be...?

[Antozilla]

Automatic Train Control.

[OrionFlyer]

And I was at Fort Totten yesterday.  This accident reminds me of the Light Rail accident at BWI in 2000. I hope this never happens again. My prayers go out to all the families that have been affected.

[NewFlyerGuy]

Id hate for this tragedy to bring me back to this site, Ive been really busy lately and my prayers go out for those who was on this train as my sister and mother was on the train and I am truly gratefull that they are alright as with the people who are on this site. There is no absolutely way that she couldnt see that train. Ive been through there many of times and that is just insane! Unless she was texting,went suddenly blind, or suffered a heart attack she could have just pressed that big red button! But even is she was using the ATC she still can stop.

[Tritransit Area]

I am so grateful that you sister and mother are okay.  I can only imagine what it would have been like to be on that train.  I have also ridden that section many times beforehand over my 22 (almost 23!) years, and I've been shaken up by the "that could've been me" syndrome.  After all, my family lives right in that area, and I use Fort Totten & Takoma all of the time.

Looking at the picture, the train was coming around a curve (albeit slight), which surely cuts down on visibility.  At the high rate of speed the trains tend to travel in that section, coming quickly around a bend to come across an immobile object, the reaction time can be minimal.  Especially when you expect the train to do its job in keeping you and your passengers safe.  In fact, reports state that the emergency button had been pressed. 

[WMATAGMOAGH]

1079 confirmed as the lead car on train 112 in a very moving article about being in the first car of that train and the initial rescue effort:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/27/AR2009062702417.html?hpid=topnews&sid=ST2009062702498

[C40LF_2464]

WOW! That us an amazing story there. Thanks for the link Oren. Next thing you know, they will make a short movie about this tradegy.

[LandoverDivision]

1079 confirmed as the lead car on train 112 in a very moving article about being in the first car of that train and the initial rescue effort:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/27/AR2009062702417.html?hpid=topnews&sid=ST2009062702498

If you have looked at the news a lot, you would've saw the number of the car. I been knew it was 1079.