Inspection Detail

Inspection: 119527646 - Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority

Inspection Information - Office: Department Of Labor, Licensing, And Regulation Division Of Labor And Industry Maryland Occupational Safety And Health

Investigation Summary

Employee #1 was the operator of train #111 of the Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority. The train was four cars long and had two passengers on board in the rear car. The train was in automatic mode and was being operated by a computer. At 10:35 p.m., the train was traveling west, approaching its last station on the route. Because the tracks were cold and icy, the computer could not stop the train. Although Employee #1 apparently engaged the emergency stop, the train traveled 41.6 meters past the station and struck an unoccupied standby train that was seven cars long. Employee #1 suffered multiple trauma and died. The two passengers were not injured.

Keywords: BRAKE, EMERGENCY STOP, COLLISION, RAILROAD TRACK, SLIPPERY SURFACE, TRAIN