Dispatcher Focus of MBTA Probe

WOBURN, Mass. — Federal investigators looking into a fatal wreck on the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority are focusing their atention on a train dispatcher, according to The Associated Press.

Two workers were killed Tuesday when an MBTA commuter train struck a piece of track equipment.

As part of their investigation, agents are looking at conversations the dispatcher had with the workers, according to The Associated Press.

The train was traveling 60 mph and was heading from Lowell to Boston when it struck a “speed swing” near the commuter rail station in Woburn killing the workers. A dozen other people, including 10 passengers, were treated for injuries.

The incident remains under investigation, officials said.

A “speed swing” is used to lift railroad ties.

The two workers were employed by the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Co.

Railfanning Review Podcast

Before you copy and paste this information to your website, please keep in mind this research took a lot of effort. Appreciate it. Learn from it. But do not plagiarize it. Yes, if you think we might be talking to you, we are.

2 Comments

  1. Does M/W equipement like the one struck by the train shunt the track electrictally to indicate the track is occupied by something? If not, why not?
    If it was another train and not M/W that occupied the track, wouldn’t there have been a light telling the dispatcher, “track is occupied”?

  2. Please send photos of 1960’s,rolling stock. To:Jack McGlone 131 Indian Lake Dr. Lebanon,Me. 04027

Comments are closed.