35 people injured when two MBTA trolleys collide
Yesterday, 35 people were injured, including nine with possible head or neck injuries, when two MBTA Green Line trolleys collided around noon. According to reports, the collision occurred when a trolley leaving Park Street Station rear-ended another trolley that was standing still at the Boylston Station platform.
Boston EMS officials reported that most of the 35 accident victims taken to nearby hospitals suffered bruises and cuts, and none of the injuries appeared to be life threatening. However, witnesses at the scene described the impact of the train accident as “shocking.”
At this point, it is unclear why the moving trolley collided with the stationary trolley. The superintendent-in-chief of the MBTA Transit Police said neither of the cars derailed and there was no visible damage to either. For that reason, he said it didn’t appear to be a high-speed impact.
A witness who was a passenger on the moving trolley said her trolley did not break before coming in contact with the second trolley. She said the collision left most of the passengers in shock, but it didn’t appear that anyone on her trolley was seriously injured.
Another witness said the doors of the stationary trolley were opened at the time of the crash, allowing passengers on and off. He said a man who was stepping on to the trolley when the collision occurred was thrown onto the concrete platform face down. However, the witness said most people appeared shocked, but uninjured.
The driver of the moving trolley has been with the MBTA since 2006 and he doesn’t have any accidents on his record.
Just two days ago, we discussed questionable MBTA safety after someone fell onto the MBTA Red Line tracks for the fifth time in sixth months. Hopefully, the MBTA seriously evaluates its safety protocol after yet another near fatal accident has occurred.
Source: Boston Globe, “35 taken to hospital after two trolleys collide at Boylston MBTA station,” Eric Moskowitz, John R. Ellement, Martine Powers, Martin Finucane and Sarah N. Mattero, Nov. 29, 2012
