Red Line Rollback Collision

Collision on the Red Line. An empty train rolled back into a populated one on the Red Line at Woodley Park station. Four people injured, the station and track are a mess, and a large portion of the Red Line is closed.

How do you do that, WMATA? How does an empty train lose power on the track and freely roll down the slope, without braking, back into the the station? What if the train at Woodley Park had not been stopped at the station and had collided while in motion? How many would have died?

This would be disastrous commuting news for me — if I weren’t already avoiding the Metro in favor of walking to and from work.

Update: Post story here, with photo of one train car atop the other.

Comments

  1. Rod says:

    I boarded the Metro at Woodley Park this morning and I have to say that the wreck is quite spectacular. As you go down the escalator onto the platform, it’s right there in front of you, shredded metal and all. And the scorch marks on vault are very impressive.