Commuter train derails in Glendale (Update: Crash escalates to criminal probe)

AP ^ | 01/26/05 | AP

[Pikamax]

Commuter train derails in Glendale

Associated Press

GLENDALE, Calif. - A Metrolink commuter train derailed early Wednesday in this Los Angeles suburb, and firefighters were searching through the wreckage.

Television reports showed smoke coming from twisted wreckage at the scene of the crash, where two separate trains could be seen derailed.

The derailment in this Los Angeles suburb was near San Fernando Road and Chevy Chase Boulevard.

[Rutles4Ever]

Great question. The only thing I can think of is that he had the keys out of the ignition and didn't think he had time to start and go.

[lainie]

That's what TV coverage said. A car with passengers being pushed by an engine is what hit the jeep.

[Wolfstar]

30ish. Maybe 35.

Thanks. You know how it is here in L.A. Distances can be deceiving on a map because you rarely can drive in a straight line anywhere.

[lainie]

That must be it. (Presuming a stalled engine has already been ruled out).

[lainie]

:(

[Sergio]

Correct, this is also why it had so few people on board. The early morning trains out of LA don't carry nearly as many passengers as the trains going into LA at the same time of morning.

Wolfstar gives a great explanation in post #493.

Best Regards

Sergio

[cake_crumb]

"Yep....its dumping rain now too."

This just gets worse and worse.

[Citizen of the Savage Nation]

They'll find most of the pieces under the train. When a train and a car argue over the right of way, the train wins every time.

Usually, but in this case it was a Pyhrric victory...lots more damage than I would expect from a mere mosquito, which a SUV is compared to one of these trains.

[Wolfstar]

Metrolink trains going INTO Los Angeles always move backwards. That is to say the engine is at the back. Metrolink trains going OUT of Los Angeles run the normal way with the engine at the front.

Sergio, please see my #493 attempting to answer CedarDave's question. Do I have the orientation wrong? You say the train going outbound goes the normal way, which is to say that the engine would be in the front. That's the opposite of what is shown in the photo in #493. I took my understanding of the orientation from early TV news reports, which I know can be incorrect until more information becomes available.

[CedarDave]

It was the Southbound train from Simi Valley which first hit the Jeep.

That's what I thought originally, but couldn't believe that amount of destruction with that few deaths. Now the death toll is rising as they get deeper into the wreck.

(Note to readers, my post #469 has the scenario backwards)

[GOP_1900AD]

http://www.costco.com/Warehouse/LocationTemplate.aspx?Warehouse=130

[bd476]

Well that will tie up traffic the rest of the day on the 405, the 10 (Santa Monica Freeway), the 91, the 105, traffic North into the Sepulveda Pass, and on and on. Interesting day.

[bd476]

They are supposed to have a great optometrist there and a good optical department at that one.

[Wolfstar]

That's what TV coverage said. A car with passengers being pushed by an engine is what hit the jeep.

That's what I heard, also. In addition, it was described as the train outbound from L.A. But Sergio says the outbound train would not have the engine in the back, so I'm wondering if we have the detail reversed as to the direction the two Metrolink trains were travelling.

Not that it matters much. The middle train is the one that struck the car, UP engine and jackknifed into the 2nd comuter train.

[Sergio]

You'd be surprised how often things go under Metrolink trains rather then just being batted aside.

Kids will place shopping carts, lawn mowers, old furniture, etc on the tracks and we hear the debris clanging it way across the entire under length of the car. The worst are the suicides. I've been on board for three of these. It is never pleasant.

Maybe there's a mod that could be made to the "cow catcher" to keep things from going under the train. Of course you would need two designs, one for the engine and one for the CAB car.

Best regards

Sergio

[GOP_1900AD]

I believe that's the Costco on the left. Los Feliz Blvd would be just beyond the bottom of the photo. San Fernando road beyond the photo to the right. I-5 way off past the left edge of the photo. Righmost track is normally outbound / up. Middle track would be inbound. Track closest to Costco would be a siding.

[GOP_1900AD]

It's reversed.

[BurbankKarl]

Wolfstar, your explanation was a little off...

the train on the middle track (track 2) would be heading toward LA.

[oceanview]

we have them all over long island too. there are several suicides every year at them, but always with pedestrians, not cars.

[CedarDave]

The yellow UP engine is in the Costco parking lot. Costco is on the west side of the tracks in the map, so the orientation you show may be backward. The crossing where the jeep was parked was mentioned as Chevy Chase. Is that north of the site?