MBTA commuter train accident at Canton 3/25/08

a video feed on CNN.com shows a MBTA locomotive has rear ended a lumber car in Canton. (the video's banner says box car)

there appers to be atlest two going to the hospital

A westbound MBTA commuter train has collided with a freight car at Canton Junction.
more stories like this

Live television reports from the scene on WCVB-TV show the engine of the commuter train up against a freight car.

Passengers aboard the 'rush hour" train are being evacuated.

The have been reports of injuries, many of them minor. Emergency workers have brought back-boards onto the train. These boards are used at accident scenes to removed injured people. WCVB is reporting about a dozen people have been removed from the train on backboards.

TV footage shows debris from the freight car on the ground around the car.

The MBTA has suspended commuter-train service to Providence for now.

Looking at the picture I saw on my T.V., looks like engine 1030 is the locomotive that smashed into it. Also, A LOT MORE THEN 2 are going to the hospital, one of them is the engineer

I've got some updates in the commuter rail tracker thread.

I didn't see the engineer, but he would be likely to be among the injured.

Also, according to WBZ the train was not moving, it was the lumber car having broke loose from somewhere.

caduceus wrote:I've got some updates in the commuter rail tracker thread.

Also, according to WBZ the train was not moving, it was the lumber car having broke loose from somewhere.

. I believe this occured on the NEC part of Canton Junction, since many Amtrak trains are getting service disruptions.
I heard from someone that it was a centerbeam car that rolled out onto the Main line, I would assume that car belongs to CSX

I was posting as I saw it. it was a 100% live feed with no audio.

I was on that very train this afternoon. It was my 4:48 Stoughton train outbound to Stoughton. It was somewhat terrifying, not the accident itself, but rather the inability to communicate quickly due to my deafness.

I understand it was F40PH2C 1030 involved. I think, though that engine may suffer some minor cosmetic damage, depending on how fast it was going.

Pretty scary that such a thing can happen! Don't they normally set the derail devices on sidings? Thank God this didn't happen to an Acela running at 150 mph!

Matt Johnson wrote:Pretty scary that such a thing can happen! Don't they normally set the derail devices on sidings? Thank God this didn't happen to an Acela running at 150 mph!

No not all sidings use derails

"No not all sidings use derails"

Could you please elaborate? I bet all sidings now will use derails. CSX is looking for total indemnity for expansion of commuter rail on the Worcester line. I do not know if they have such indemnity on the NEC.

Dick

Anyone have any idea where the car could have originated? A quick look on Google Earth doesn't reveal any online industries that could have sourced the car until just north of Mansfield.

For some reason, I think that this didnt take place on the NEC look at this

Stoughton branch service is being diverted to substitute shuttle bus service between Canton Junction Station and Stoughton Station due to a medical emergency at Canton Junction Station. We apologize for the inconvenience. 3/25/2008 7:32 PM

It only mentions Stoughton trains, so Im wondering if Providence Trains are able to get through the area

Looks like it. The MBTA service update page says:

Stoughton branch service is being diverted to substitute shuttle bus service between Canton Junction Station and Stoughton Station due to a medical emergency at Canton Junction Station. We apologize for the inconvenience. 3/25/2008 7:32 PM

See also the update that rider "oddjob60" posted from his train, here at 7:34 pm.

MBTA3247 wrote:Anyone have any idea where the car could have originated? A quick look on Google Earth doesn't reveal any online industries that could have sourced the car until just north of Mansfield.

I remember Canton Junction had a siding, and a wood shed on the Stoughton branch had several cars worth of lumber at all times. However it baffles me how a lone car could travel like 1 mile under its own power on seemingly flat grade track.

Well, it's a good thing the train hit with the engine rather than the control car. That saved a lot of damage. I hope she (1030) will be okay (still in service that is) as well as everyone onboard the train (including the engineer).