Problems with MTA radios may have played a role in the slow-moving crash of two subway trains on the Upper West Side earlier this month, federal investigators said in a preliminary report Thursday.
The Jan. 4 derailment, which injured at least 24 people and caused several days of delays, saw one disabled train carrying no passengers crash into another fully loaded train just north of West 96th Street. It occurred when I ran into the.
The disabled train was taken out of service after an “unruly passenger” pulled the emergency brake, the National Transportation Safety Board said in a report. Therefore, the train manager operated the train from an intermediate car, while another driver stood in the lead car and gave instructions via radio.
The driver in front of the vehicle stated that he had lost radio contact with transit system supervisors near the 96th Street Station. report. Shortly thereafter, “the train passed a stop signal at the end of the 96th Street platform, and a collision occurred.”
The NTSB said the investigation is ongoing. Board President Jennifer Homendy said at a news conference shortly after the crash that the watchdog agency would “investigate the entirety.” [subway] Including how the system will be managed and supervised. ”
She noted that on Nov. 29, a subway track worker was dragged to death by a train near the 34th Street Herald Square station.
Richard Davey, president of the New York City Transit Authority, said at a news conference Thursday that an inspection after the crash found no problems with the radios used by the crew. But there is no way to determine whether the signal was lost in the tunnel before the derailment or whether the crew was using the same radio channel, he said.
Davey added that the MTA is reviewing its safety protocols going forward.
“We will not only look to see if there are improvements in individual behavior, but we will also look to see if there are processes and procedures that could be adopted in the future, such as better radio procedures,” he said. .
Davey emphasized that it is not uncommon for trains to be operated from intermediate cars while another worker gives instructions over the radio. He estimates this happens 10 to 12 times a week on the subway.
Less than a week after the Upper West Side derailment, an F train jumped the tracks at Coney Island, leaving it just a few feet from the edge of the elevated structure.
Daily News reported Bolt was missing Mr Davey confirmed on Thursday that the photo was taken from the underside of one of the train cars. Davey also said part of the truck was off by about an eighth of an inch.
The train derailed due to a combination of missing bolts and tilted rails.
“The subways are safe,” Davey assured New Yorkers, noting that crews had inspected 59,968 bolts in 1,800 subway cars over the past two weeks and found only three loose bolts. did.
Mr Davey confirmed that his team had identified 103 locations on subway tracks that were similarly tilted and had so far fixed 81 of them. He said crews will fix the remaining parts by the end of February.