Metrolink Crash

The following blog is based on an assignment that builds a news story using collective writing.

Katie Wrote:
On the morning of September 13, 2008, Joel Rubin, Ann M. Simmons, and Mitchell Landsberg of the Los Angeles Times reported that Metrolink’s passenger train 111, carrying 225 people, had collided at 4:23 p.m. on Friday with a Union Pacific freight train. The two trains hit on a 45-degree bend in Chatsworth. At the time there were 17 people killed and 135 injured. The LA Times called it, “one of the worst train crashes in Southern California history.” Metrolink officials said they could not explain why warning systems failed to prevent such a catastrophic collision. The engine of the freight train embedded itself in the front of the passenger train. Both trains derailed. The Associated Press reported 250 fire department personnel and 200 police officers on the scene Saturday morning.

Amanda Wrote:
Denise Tyrrell, the Metrolink spokeswoman, told reporters on Saturday that Metrolink's engineer caused the crash the day before by missing a red signal that should have told him to stop the train, reported the LA Times. Since this extreme statement couldn’t have held much truth, seeing as less than 24 hours had passed before Tyrrell started playing the blame game, Ron Roberts, chairman of the Metrolink board followed up on that statement Sunday. He said Metrolink's board hadn’t been informed that Tyrrell was planning to say Metrolink was at fault for the accident. "It's not up to us to decide why this has happened; that's up to the NTSB," he said, according to the LA Times.

Katie Wrote:
Julie Shuler, a 23 year old resident of Orange County and senior at Biola University, was riding the Metrolink on September 12, 2008. Julie was on her third ride on a train when she was informed about the crash by a friend’s text message. At the time Julie was not alarmed due to her lack of knowledge of the severity of the crash. When Julie learned more about the crash she felt, “disappointed in the rail system that someone was careless enough to text message while driving.” However Julie explained that she doesn’t feel the crash will affect her decision to ride the train in the future. Julie said, “She will be riding the train again in a few weeks. It is a good form of public

Erik Wrote:
On September 25th, the LA times online edition staff writers Steve Hymon and Rich Connell reported that Los Angeles city and county officials are beginning to lobby for new train safety measures. The safety measures include, according to the LAtimes.com, “to add a second engineer to its locomotives, to install anti-collision technology and to place an additional video camera in the cab of its engines to monitor train drivers, according to a motion supported by several Los Angeles city and county officials.” However, it has not been voiced by Metrolink officials if they are willing to comply with the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority's (MTA) safety measures. However, an official for the MTA named Richard Katz feels that the Metrolink officials should be more inclined to act quickly on implementing or at least discussing these measures.

Amanda Wrote:
A second chance proves fatal to Gregory Lintner, 48, who survived the Glendale crash in 2005, but unfortunately lost his life along with 24 other people in the Metrolink 111 crash on Sept. 12. Hidden beneath these numbers lies people. Atul Vyas, 20, was already interviewing for grad school at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard. Paul Long, 54, was coming back from his mother’s funeral. Christopher Aiken, 38, had just started a new life, getting married and going back to college to finish his degree, according to the LA Times. So many lives cut short in an instant, it’s easy to mold them into one round number, but these aren’t just numbers, these are people.

Erick Wrote:
Max Henderson, a sophomore from Biola University, takes the train to his home in Washington during school breaks. The train takes the same San Fernando route as did the Metrolink train that crashed last Friday. “I still feel fine about taking the train, I mean you don't hear about an accident like this often...it was kind of a freak accident,” says Mr. Henderson. When asked about how he feels about the proposed lobby by the MTA for Metrolink trains and its drivers Mr. Henderson stated, “Why not be safer if you can.” Hopefully the Metrolink officials will consider the proposed lobby. When questioned if he would ever ride a train on that route again, Mr. Henderson replied “Of course, I'm taking it home for Christmas.”

Amanda Wrote:
The cause of the Metrolink crash is still unknown, but the possibility that the engineer was text messaging while operating the train is under investigation from The National Transportation and Safety Board, according to the Associated Press. In response to this, the state's top rail safety regulator, on Sept. 15, said he would seek an emergency order banning train operators from using cell phones, reported the AP. And Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a bill Wednesday that will take affect Jan. 1, banning text messaging while driving, according to the LA Times. It will be some time until the cause of the crash is confirmed, but it’s good to know measures are being taken to try to prevent this disaster from happening again.

Katie Wrote:
On September 21, 2008, Joe Mozingo of the Los Angeles Times shared the stories of the twenty-five victims of the Metrolink crash. They were grandparents, children, students, and teachers. The only thing they had in common together was that they were on train 111. There are so many tragic news stories that we become desensitized. The L.A. Times article reminded people that the twenty-five victims had friends, a family and a story. It told the story of victims like 69 year old Howard Pompel, who got on the train after working at the Los Angeles City Employees Club. He normally took a later train but left early to play pool with a friend. "He wore his heart on his sleeve. He loved to make people laugh," said his daughter, Annette Conway.

Erik Wrote:
Yesterday the LAtimes.com reported that congressional negotiators had agreed to stat creating proposed safety measures that the MTA is lobbying for Metrolink trains. However, the bill proposed would be “delayed until 2015,” according to the congressional negotiators. State senator Dianne Feinstein (D) voiced her concern about this delay, “I hope that it can be passed before this Congress comes to a close. Yet, I'm very disappointed about the deadline.” If passed the bill would provide $50 million to help pay for the technology, cap the number of hours that freight train crews could work each month at 276 hours, and require the U.S. Department of Transportation to draw up limits for passenger crews.