Courtesy image from the Boston Fire DepartmentAn “independent review” by the MBTA in coordination with a private contractor, has ruled out some common-likely causes of the train derailment occurred at the Dorchester JFK/Umass station on June 2019.
According to the MBTA, their join investigation with LTK Engineering Services dismissed operator error (including speeding), track infrastructure and “foul play” as the probable cause.
“MBTA personnel have disassembled the car that derailed in an attempt to determine the root cause of its failure. While the investigation continues, the MBTA is conducting an audit of the entire Red Line fleet, performing thorough inspections of the cars’ components to ensure all vehicles meet all safety and performance requirements,” the agency said in a statement.
On June 24th, the Transportation authority Fiscal and Management Control Board announced the creation of a “Safety Review Panel” that will offer an independent and transparent review of MBTA practices and past incidents.
The panel, integrated by Former United States Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, Former Acting FTA Administrator and transit operations veteran Carolyn Flowers, and Former New York City Transit President and career safety expert Carmen Bianco; will run in cooperation with federal and state partners and regulators, including the Federal Transit Administration, Federal Railroad Administration, and the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities.
On June 11th, a train derailment at the JFK/Umass Station brought chaos to morning commuters, and until today the problem has caused delays for users. On July 1st, the MBTA implemented a significant increase of fares that have been criticized by senior officials, including the Mayor of Boston Marty Walsh, who considered the raise “unfair” until the “Red Line is fully operational.” On Twitter, users are expressing their discontent with the raise with the hashtag #unfairhikes.
