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C and D trolley service back to normal
By adamg on Tue, 03/11/2014 - 6:19am
#MBTA Green Line Update: C & D Line branches: Normal service has resumed.
— MBTA (@MBTA) March 11, 2014
Now the T tries to figure out what caused a trolley to derail in the tunnel between Kenmore and Fenway yesterday.
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Comments
How will we be able to tell?
How will we be able to tell?
Green Line operator chit chat
Lot of rumor pedaling amongst the Green Line operators and supervisors today. But from the three I overheard in conversation, they agree the driver of the derailed trolley is usually going very slow -- much slower than other operators.
If this turns out to be a problem with the signal system, I would kiss the Green Line's capacity goodbye. They're going to put in some clunky hunk of junk of a signal system in for safety, and you won't have trains anywhere near as frequent as we do now.
How will we be able to tell?
How will we be able to tell?
Black box
Supposedly (based on RailRoad.net discussion) the second car of the train (a newer Type 8 trolley) has a device similar to a black box or event recorder, and it might have information needed. Also, they'll ask the operator, the attendant (door operator on second car), and passengers involved. Supposedly a second train had to come to a sudden stop upon seeing the accident occur, so they'll probably ask that operator, as well.
Speed has to be involved
Given how far the train traveled off the tracks and the amount of damage done to the front car, speed had to have been a factor. Looking at the pictures, I'm going to guess that he was simply going way too fast for the curve and just jumped the track. Possibly acerbated by a switch failure.
If he was going "much slower than other operators" it would be amazing that this hasn't happened before, though I will admit to being on trains whipping around that corner with what felt like excessive velocity...
Thinking the same
I was thinking the same, since it seems to have slammed that concrete divider pretty hard. But these things weigh ALOT, and I don't know physics well, but I know enough that momentum can be a PITA...