UPDATE: Sam in the comments points out that the WMATA web site has no current service alerts posted, so it appears the Mt. Vernon Square station is now open. Anyone been over there this morning?
A few more details are available from the Post this morning about yesterday’s Green Line derailment, though it’s still not known when the Mt. Vernon Square stop will re-open. In all 20 people were injured, all of them minor except one passenger who suffered a head injury, and a pregnant woman who began to experience contractions.
Officials said the derailment happened when the six-car train, with 120 passengers aboard, was seconds from coming to a stop as it entered the station while outbound and inbound trains were sharing a single track. Metro spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein said workers in the tunnel were installing communications cables.
Track-sharing forces trains to shift at points between inbound and outbound tracks. According to Farbstein, the derailment occurred when the train was crossing from the southbound track to the northbound track, which it would normally have been using.
Switches and a short section of curved rails south of the station make it possible to shunt trains between the inbound and outbound tracks.
The front cars of the train apparently passed over the switch safely, but the wheels of the fifth car left the track. All cars remained upright. But as the fifth car tottered, its left side struck the nearby wall of the tunnel, according to accounts.
The cause of the accident is still under investigation, but this description makes it seem unlikely the problem stemmed from any switch schedule changes due to the recent Yellow Line extension, since the first four cars passed through the switch without incident. The Post also reports that the derailment involved cars from the 5000 series, which were involved in four derailments of empty trains in 2003 and 2004.
Some Council Members Against School Plan: The Examiner reminds us that despite expectations that Mayor Adrian Fenty’s plan to take direct control of D.C. Schools will be passed by the D.C. Council, at least some members, including D-at large Phil Mendelson and D-at large Kwame Brown, are likely to put up a fight during hearings.
Four Murders Since Jan. 1: NBC4 reports that the third and fourth homicides of 2007 happened over the weekend, one in Northwest and Northeast, respectively. They were not connected. The total number of murders for 2006 was 169, down from 196 in 2005.
Briefly Noted: Outgoing Gallaudet President says goodbye … High rise fire in Silver Spring … Saturday’s high temp. breaks record.
This Day in DCist: In 2006 we said goodbye to MCI Center and hello to Verizon Center.
Photo by josawyers.
