Red Line resumes service after train strikes person at South Station
August 20, 2009 10:28 AM
By Noah Bierman, Globe Staff
The Red Line resumed regular service this morning through South Station about 30 minutes after one of the subway trains struck a person on a platform, according to a spokesman for the MBTA.
The person walked into the side of the train and suffered minor injuries, according to MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo. The train was entering the station at a reduced speed, he said.
The T diverted trains and ran substitute shuttle bus service between Broadway and Park Street during the disruption. Passengers at Downtown Crossing were told to walk to South Station and take a shuttle bus from there to Broadway.
The T directed buses to South Station because Downtown Crossing is too congested, Pesaturo said.
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Seems to me it would have made much more sense to direct the folks at Downtown Crossing to walk to Park Street to get their buses instead of sending them all the way to South Station.
Especially given that there's a walkway between Park Street and Downtown Crossing, which is a convenient way to direct people who might not be familiar with the area.
...but the buses are running from Park Street to Broadway. If I was on the train and heard that, I'd probably go to South Station rather than catch a bus and sit in traffic. But someone who doesn't know the area at all or has mobility limitations would probably rather be told to go down the walkway to get on the bus rather than navigate the city.
" shuttle bus service between Broadway and Park Street during the disruption. Passengers at Downtown Crossing were told to walk to South Station and take a shuttle bus from there to Broadway. "
It makes no sense. If Shuttles are running from broadway to park, why walk to south station? Yes, traffic...but the shuttle is going to be doing the park-south route anyway, so why not walk to park?
I was on the platform in South Station about 10 feet from the guy. He did not "walk into" anything; I didn't see it in the moment, but I'm pretty sure he jumped. Several other people saw it clearly, from conversations afterward. And there's no way the injuries were minor. We helped try to stabilize him until paramedics got there, and then walked to Downtown Crossing, because we didn't know where else to go. It was very unclear at Downtown Crossing whether there would be a train or not; at that point they were just saying "there's currently a shuttle running between Park Street and Broadway" but they didn't say why or that we should go out and walk to Park Street. It was pretty confusing, and no, I'm not an idiot. I wish the coverage of this event was more accurate and forthcoming.
I was behind the man on the platform. He didn't jump, he just bent over as the train was coming. And I checked with a T official at South Station the next day and he confirmed the man died. I agree, the coverage was weak and inaccurate.
My prayers go out to the man's family and to the T-driver.
To the other person who was there: thanks for the clarification, and the news about him. I've been trying to get a straight answer from MBTA officials over email about his condition. No kidding, my heart goes out to the T driver especially.
Apparently, the T official who told me he had died was wrong, but as there was another MBTA accident that day (the other with the commuter rail out of South Station) there may have been some confusion. Anyway, I spoke face-to-face with MBTA detectives today who told me he is still in critical condition and still in intensive care. The detectives also told me that they haven't had many witnesses come forward, so anyone out there who can help can contact the T Police on the mbta.com website. Hope this update helps.
You have to be a member of b0st0n to see it, since it's locked. I can see it.
But yes, stupid to post a link to a locked post, even if a lot of people here are members. Why not screencap it or something, since it's clearly not private information (the community has thousands of members who can all see it) and the person probably just posts locked as a default?
A man in his 50s leaned past the yellow line on the platform and was hit by a northbound train... The man suffered head injuries and upper body lacerations. - boston.com
I was one of the lucky people this morning to be sitting at Park Street T station waiting for a red line train heading south when an announcement indicated that there was a "medical emergency" at South Station. We were told to take a shuttle bus (they didn't indicate where it would pick us up but I guess you can infer that information). The buses arrived within minutes and promptly took us to South Station and then Broadway. It was pretty painless, to the say the least.
Comments
Update from Boston.com
Red Line resumes service after train strikes person at South Station
August 20, 2009 10:28 AM
By Noah Bierman, Globe Staff
The Red Line resumed regular service this morning through South Station about 30 minutes after one of the subway trains struck a person on a platform, according to a spokesman for the MBTA.
The person walked into the side of the train and suffered minor injuries, according to MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo. The train was entering the station at a reduced speed, he said.
The T diverted trains and ran substitute shuttle bus service between Broadway and Park Street during the disruption. Passengers at Downtown Crossing were told to walk to South Station and take a shuttle bus from there to Broadway.
The T directed buses to South Station because Downtown Crossing is too congested, Pesaturo said.
---
Seems to me it would have made much more sense to direct the folks at Downtown Crossing to walk to Park Street to get their buses instead of sending them all the way to South Station.
Yeah
Especially given that there's a walkway between Park Street and Downtown Crossing, which is a convenient way to direct people who might not be familiar with the area.
http://1smootshort.blogspot.com
The traffic from all the one
The traffic from all the one way roads would be a nightmare up there.
it's much easier to get buses headed in the right directions from SS.
Truuuuue...
...but the buses are running from Park Street to Broadway. If I was on the train and heard that, I'd probably go to South Station rather than catch a bus and sit in traffic. But someone who doesn't know the area at all or has mobility limitations would probably rather be told to go down the walkway to get on the bus rather than navigate the city.
http://1smootshort.blogspot.com
" shuttle bus service
" shuttle bus service between Broadway and Park Street during the disruption. Passengers at Downtown Crossing were told to walk to South Station and take a shuttle bus from there to Broadway. "
It makes no sense. If Shuttles are running from broadway to park, why walk to south station? Yes, traffic...but the shuttle is going to be doing the park-south route anyway, so why not walk to park?
not quite true
I was on the platform in South Station about 10 feet from the guy. He did not "walk into" anything; I didn't see it in the moment, but I'm pretty sure he jumped. Several other people saw it clearly, from conversations afterward. And there's no way the injuries were minor. We helped try to stabilize him until paramedics got there, and then walked to Downtown Crossing, because we didn't know where else to go. It was very unclear at Downtown Crossing whether there would be a train or not; at that point they were just saying "there's currently a shuttle running between Park Street and Broadway" but they didn't say why or that we should go out and walk to Park Street. It was pretty confusing, and no, I'm not an idiot. I wish the coverage of this event was more accurate and forthcoming.
Man hit by train in South Station
I was behind the man on the platform. He didn't jump, he just bent over as the train was coming. And I checked with a T official at South Station the next day and he confirmed the man died. I agree, the coverage was weak and inaccurate.
My prayers go out to the man's family and to the T-driver.
To the other person who was
To the other person who was there: thanks for the clarification, and the news about him. I've been trying to get a straight answer from MBTA officials over email about his condition. No kidding, my heart goes out to the T driver especially.
Further update from other person on the platform
Apparently, the T official who told me he had died was wrong, but as there was another MBTA accident that day (the other with the commuter rail out of South Station) there may have been some confusion. Anyway, I spoke face-to-face with MBTA detectives today who told me he is still in critical condition and still in intensive care. The detectives also told me that they haven't had many witnesses come forward, so anyone out there who can help can contact the T Police on the mbta.com website. Hope this update helps.
livejournal
http://community.livejournal.com/b0st0n/6733781.html
Bad link, anon
Error
You are not authorized to view this protected entry.
(Yes, I'm logged in on LJ.)
No, it's not that...
You have to be a member of b0st0n to see it, since it's locked. I can see it.
But yes, stupid to post a link to a locked post, even if a lot of people here are members. Why not screencap it or something, since it's clearly not private information (the community has thousands of members who can all see it) and the person probably just posts locked as a default?
http://1smootshort.blogspot.com
I was biking by
South Station just after it happened. There were large crowds of people clogging the sidewalks, police running around and one TV news camera.
Rhea
Oopsie
Unfortunately, he doesn't remember a thing.
It was all okay...
I was one of the lucky people this morning to be sitting at Park Street T station waiting for a red line train heading south when an announcement indicated that there was a "medical emergency" at South Station. We were told to take a shuttle bus (they didn't indicate where it would pick us up but I guess you can infer that information). The buses arrived within minutes and promptly took us to South Station and then Broadway. It was pretty painless, to the say the least.
Hit by train might give them some sense
People are complete idiots...... but which is worse
the pathetic idiot that leans over the yellow safety walk/line
or the pea brain moron that blocks the doors before you get off??