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Commuter Rail

Washington Metro: No Texting for Operators

WASHINGTON — Following a string of embarrassments, including a YouTube video that showed a subway operator texting, Washington Metro has adopted a zero tolerance policy on operator use of cell phones, texting devices. Metrobus and Metrorail operators caught using a cell phone, texting or using a PDA while operating a vehicle will be fired under the new policy announced by Metro General Manager John Catoe. The new policy will take effect on Monday, July 13. “There is no excuse for anyone who is operating a Metrobus or Metrorail train to be using a cell phone or texting other than for

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Commuter Rail

DART Testing Trains on Green Line

Image courtesy DART DALLAS — With only weeks remaining until the 2.7-mile Green Line light rail corridor opens, DART is conducting train tests and warning residents to keep an eye open for trains. The Green Line light rail corridor runs between the Pearl Station and MLK, Jr. Station near Fair Park. The tests will be conducted on an almost daily basis until the section opens September 14. The tests are designed to evaluate the operation of the new light rail track and to familiarize rail operators with the operating characteristics of the trains on the new line. At other crossings

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Commuter Rail

WMATA: Expect Fewer Trains, Slower Service to Continue on Red Line

WASHINGTON — Riders of Metro’s Red Line should expect fewer and slower-moving rush hour trains on the line through at least July 19 while the National Transportation Safety Board continues its investigation into the cause of the June 22 train accident near the Fort Totten Metrorail station. Red Line riders can expect that their trips may take an additional 30 minutes or possibly more to complete and they should build that added time into their plans. Two six-car Red Line trains collided at 5 p.m. Monday, June 22, leaving four people dead, including a female train operator. In addition, there

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Commuter Rail

MBTA Trolly Driver Charged for Texting on the Job

NEWTON, Mass. — A Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) was indicted on charges he sent text messages while on the job. The driver told investigators he was sending a text message to his girlfriend on May when he ran through two signals — one yellow and one red. The Green Line trolley, traveling about 25 mph, crashed into a second trolley; 49 people were injured in the collision, according to The Boston Globe. “When people board a public conveyance, they place their lives and safety in the operator’s hands,” Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said in a statement, according

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Commuter Rail

NTSB to Hold Hearing on 2008 MBTA Trolley Wreck

WASHINGTON — The National Transportation Safety Board will hold a public Board meeting Tuesday, July 14, to discuss a 2008 Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) trolley wreck. On May 28, 2008, at about 5:51 p.m. EDT, MBTA Green Line train, traveling westbound at about 38 mph, struck the rear of another westbound Green Line train, which had stopped for a red signal. The wreck occurred in Newton, Mass., a suburb of Boston. Each train consisted of two light rail trolley cars and carried both a train operator in the lead car and a trail operator in the second car. The

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Commuter Rail

Red Line Trains to Operate at Regular Speeds Starting Friday, July 3

WASHINGTON — Starting at 7 a.m. Friday, July 3, Washington Metro trains will return to regular speeds on the Red Line except for those passing through the area of last week’s accident between Takoma and Fort Totten Metrorail stations. The Takoma Metrorail station will close at 10 p.m. Thursday, July 2, to allow investigators to continue their work to determine the cause of the accident. The Takoma Metrorail station will reopen with normal speeds at 7 a.m. on Friday, July 3, when the rail system will be open from 7 a.m. to 3 a.m. on the Federal Independence Day holiday.

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Commuter Rail

NTSB Offers Update on WMATA Wreck

WASHINGTON — In its continuing investigation of the June 22 wreck involving the collision of two Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) trains on the Red Line in Washington, D.C., the National Transportation Safety Board has developed the following factual information: — The examination of factors leading up to the accident continues.  Investigators have been conducting nightly tests of the train control system at the accident site.  Test progress was delayed by some water in underground access areas that made it unsafe for technicians to work on electrical cables until the water could be pumped out.  The components being tested

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Commuter Rail

WMATA: Track Circuits to be Inspected, Trains Operate in Manual Mode

WASHINGTON — An estimated 3,000 signaling circuits in the Metro system are being inspected in the wake of Monday’s deadly Red Line collision, Metro general manager John Catoe told board members at their monthly meeting (June 25). “We do not know if the circuits had anything to do with this accident, but we won’t just sit back and wait for someone to tell us,” said Catoe. “We’re going to be proactive and get out there to test all of them.” Metro safety and operations officials are working hand-in-hand with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to investigate the cause of

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Commuter Rail

Washington Metro: Two Red Line Trains Collide, Fatalities Reported

WASHINGTON — Two six-car Red Line trains collided at 5 p.m. Monday, June 22, leaving four people dead, including a female train operator. In addition, there were a number of injuries reported, many serious. According to authorities, one train rear-ended the other. The operator who was killed in the crash was on the trailing train. “We are extremely saddened that there are fatalities as a result of this accident, which has touched our Metro family. We hope to have more details about the casualties later today. Our safety officials are investigating, and will continue to investigate until we determine why