Valhalla train crash
NTSB investigators survey the vehicles involved in the accident
|
|
| Date | February 3, 2015 |
|---|---|
| Time | 6:30 p.m. EST (23:30 UTC) |
| Location | Valhalla, New York |
| Coordinates | 41°05′11″N 73°47′17″W / 41.08628°N 73.78804°WCoordinates: 41°05′11″N 73°47′17″W / 41.08628°N 73.78804°W |
| Country | United States |
| Rail line | Harlem Line |
| Operator | Metro-North Railroad |
| Type of incident | Grade crossing collision |
| Cause | Under investigation |
| Statistics | |
| Trains | 1 |
| Passengers | At least 650 |
| Deaths | 6 |
| Injuries | 15 |
| Damage | 2 train cars 1 automobile $3.7 million |
On the evening of February 3, 2015, a commuter train on Metro-North Railroad's Harlem Line struck a passenger car at a grade crossing near Valhalla, New York, United States, between the Valhalla and Mount Pleasant stations, killing six people and injuring fifteen others, including seven in "very serious condition." The crash was the deadliest in Metro-North's history, as well as the deadliest such crash in the United States since the June 2009 Washington Metro train collision, which killed eight passengers and injured eighty.
The crash occurred after an earlier accident on the Taconic State Parkway, which parallels that section of track, had led to the road's closure in one direction. Drivers from the Taconic State Parkway sought alternate routes, one of which went through the grade crossing. The driver of an SUV was caught between the crossing gates when they descended onto the rear of her vehicle. She reportedly attempted to rectify the situation by proceeding forward across the tracks, instead of backing up. Along with five train passengers, she died when her vehicle was struck by the train. The impact tore loose more than 450 feet (140 m) of third rail; after piercing a train car, it went into the front of the train, broken into sections.
Since grade-crossing accidents typically do not lead to fatalities on board the train, investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) were particularly interested in determining why the fatalities occurred. They believed that fuel from the SUV may have combined with sparks from the dislodged third rail to cause a fire on board the train. They were interested in finding out how the SUV driver got into the position she did in the first place; the detour caused by the earlier road accident may also have played a role.
...
Wikipedia