Trains.com

D.C.Metro Train suffers a seperation leaving station during AM Rush

2906 views
11 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    June 2003
  • From: South Central,Ks
  • 7,170 posts
D.C.Metro Train suffers a seperation leaving station during AM Rush
Posted by samfp1943 on Monday, December 12, 2016 12:21 PM

It reported in Morning news @ http://www.fox5dc.com/news/223163301-story

"Metro train separates with passengers aboard"

The story indicates that there were passengers on-noard the train as it was leaving the station; the passenger cars suffered a 'seperation' {Decoupled?]. Seems like the D.C. Metro cannot do anything right?

- An equipment malfunction caused a Metro train to separate while passengers were onboard during Monday morning’s commute.

The incident happened near the Twinbrook Station along the Red Line in the Rockville area. WAMU transportation reporter and FOX 5 contributor, Martin Di Caro, said that a coupler between two cars became disengaged while a train was leaving the station. The train pulled away and several cars were left behind..."

WOW! Hopefully no one was injured.Sigh  Seems like the reportage leaves some  details to be desired?

 

 


 

  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: US
  • 25,292 posts
Posted by BaltACD on Monday, December 12, 2016 12:40 PM

samfp1943
It reported in Morning news @ http://www.fox5dc.com/news/223163301-story

"Metro train separates with passengers aboard"

The story indicates that there were passengers on-noard the train as it was leaving the station; the passenger cars suffered a 'seperation' {Decoupled?]. Seems like the D.C. Metro cannot do anything right?

- An equipment malfunction caused a Metro train to separate while passengers were onboard during Monday morning’s commute.

The incident happened near the Twinbrook Station along the Red Line in the Rockville area. WAMU transportation reporter and FOX 5 contributor, Martin Di Caro, said that a coupler between two cars became disengaged while a train was leaving the station. The train pulled away and several cars were left behind..."

WOW! Hopefully no one was injured.Sigh  Seems like the reportage leaves some  details to be desired?

Foamer or trespasser involvement?

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

  • Member since
    June 2004
  • From: roundhouse
  • 2,747 posts
Posted by Randy Stahl on Monday, December 12, 2016 4:06 PM

Train marshalling ?

  • Member since
    March 2002
  • 9,265 posts
Posted by edblysard on Monday, December 12, 2016 4:52 PM

Simple come apart at the speed leaving a station, unless the engineer notched it out big time, would not be a big issue from the passenger point of view....a slightly "harder" unexpected stop, nothing more.

It would feel like a low speed impact at most.

As to damage to the cars, I have no clue beyond a power cable and air hose what they have to couple up, so

23 17 46 11

  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: US
  • 25,292 posts
Posted by BaltACD on Monday, December 12, 2016 5:55 PM

edblysard
Simple come apart at the speed leaving a station, unless the engineer notched it out big time, would not be a big issue from the passenger point of view....a slightly "harder" unexpected stop, nothing more.

It would feel like a low speed impact at most.

As to damage to the cars, I have no clue beyond a power cable and air hose what they have to couple up, so

I could be wrong, but I think their type of coupling couples all the necessary control elements (air, power, attendent call, door opening etc) when the coupling is made between cars without additional human intervention.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

  • Member since
    March 2002
  • 9,265 posts
Posted by edblysard on Monday, December 12, 2016 9:57 PM

Wonder who pulled the pin?

23 17 46 11

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Sunny (mostly) San Diego
  • 1,920 posts
Posted by ChuckCobleigh on Monday, December 12, 2016 11:50 PM

Anybody else have a mental image of Scatman Crothers standing in the vestibule as the train pulled away?

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Northern New York
  • 25,021 posts
Posted by tree68 on Tuesday, December 13, 2016 6:52 AM

ChuckCobleigh

Anybody else have a mental image of Scatman Crothers standing in the vestibule as the train pulled away?

Not until now...

Do those cars have a conventional cut lever?

LarryWhistling
Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) 
Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you
My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date
Come ride the rails with me!
There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...

  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: US
  • 25,292 posts
Posted by BaltACD on Wednesday, December 14, 2016 8:48 AM

I know the WMATA coupling system is not the normal knuckle style coupler that railroads use.  That being said, could something have failed in their coupling system that is similar to a broken knuckle in the railroad coupling system?

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

  • Member since
    October 2006
  • From: Allentown, PA
  • 9,810 posts
Posted by Paul_D_North_Jr on Wednesday, December 14, 2016 9:39 AM

The table next to the description of the 7000-series cars says the Dellner coupling system is used:

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Metro_rolling_stock#7000-series 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railway_coupling#Dellner 

- Paul North.

"This Fascinating Railroad Business" (title of 1943 book by Robert Selph Henry of the AAR)
  • Member since
    December 2001
  • 1,190 posts
Posted by mvlandsw on Wednesday, December 14, 2016 10:42 PM

edblysard

Simple come apart at the speed leaving a station, unless the engineer notched it out big time, would not be a big issue from the passenger point of view....a slightly "harder" unexpected stop, nothing more.

It would feel like a low speed impact at most.

As to damage to the cars, I have no clue beyond a power cable and air hose what they have to couple up, so

 

    Can passengers pass from one car to another on these trains? It would be interesting to be stepping from one car to another when they separated.

  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: US
  • 25,292 posts
Posted by BaltACD on Friday, December 16, 2016 7:06 PM

Metro coupler

 

Did this happen at the train's origin station (ie. leaving an overnight tie up location)?  Or had the train traveled several miles to this station?

 

Save

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

Newsletter Sign-Up

By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our privacy policy