Trolley slips off tracks at Packards Corner

By adamg - 12/18/12 - 9:52 pm

Around 8:25 p.m. Jonathan D. Roger reports:

Inbound B line train derailed --large flash with a lot of sparks and the back car on the train derailed.

The trolley is partly blocking the outbound tracks and the T is shutting off power - one of the trolley's pantographs is entangled with the overhead lines. None of the roughly 30 passengers in the first car reported injuries; the second car, which actually jumped the tracks, was empty except for the operator - who was taken to St. Elizabeth's Hospital for evaluation.

Comments

track work

By shawnp - 12/18/12 - 11:16 pm

#1

There has been track work going on in Packard's Corner for the last week or so. I wonder if this is related.

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some sort of a problem

By Confirmed (not verified) - 12/18/12 - 11:26 pm

#2

It seems that when ever there is a problem on the MBTA there is also a problem in the middle east. Coincidence?

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Possibly

By Matthew - 12/19/12 - 2:08 am

#3

Looks like the trolley is over the spot they are working on at the moment.

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Work crews

By dMc - 12/19/12 - 8:54 am

#4

Work crews literally replaced tracks yesterday, right where the train derailed. Coincidence?

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Packard's Corner Track Work

By Lily (not verified) - 12/19/12 - 9:45 am

#5

The (unannounced) track work on the B-Line at Packard's Corner has paved the road right up to the level of the tracks. I've been wondering how the wheels were supposed to stay on the tracks making that steep turn.

This track work has been disruptive. Did I miss the T making any sort of statement about it? (Other than, oops - our train fell off the tracks.)

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Post-derailment, there seems

By anon (not verified) - 12/19/12 - 11:36 am

#6

Post-derailment, there seems to now be a 3MPH speed limit for trolleys going over the tracks where the work was done, so probably not a coincidence. Must have been a track defect that either was not corrected despite the earlier work, or the earlier work was not finished correctly and resulted in the derailment.
If the derailment had been caused by a defect with the trolley or operator error (speeding) there probably would be no need for the new speed restriction.