NTSB: No mechanical failures found in light-rail accident that injured dozens in San Francisco

September 22nd, 2009 NTSB issues safety recommendations to MetroWASHINGTON — Transit lines and railroads that use the same signal system that failed to detect a stopped train in the area of a deadly Washington crash should check them to make sure they are working correctly, a federal safety board urged Tuesday. The National Transportation Safety Board said it was not ready to say what caused the June 22 crash that killed nine and injured 70 when a train hit another one stopped on the tracks.

August 4th, 2009 Street cars, SUV collide in San FranciscoSAN FRANCISCO — Another light rail accident along San Francisco's transportation system is delaying commuters on the city's busy Market Street. Officials say six people were injured in the crash, which involved two historic San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency street cars and an SUV at around 5:45 p.m.

July 23rd, 2009 Feds say injuries have increased on SF trainsSAN FRANCISCO — The passenger injury rate on light-rail trains in San Francisco has steadily increased since 2003 — a trend that seems likely to continue after a weekend crash that injured 48 people. Accidents involving San Francisco Municipal Railway trains injured 21 passengers in 2003.

July 21st, 2009 Union: San Francisco train operator blacked outSAN FRANCISCO — The four most seriously injured victims in a weekend light-rail crash were improving Monday, as a union official said the operator of the train had blacked out just before the collision with a parked train. Two of the victims were in good condition, one was fair and the fourth had been transferred to another hospital for non-medical reasons, said Rachael Kagan, spokeswoman for San Francisco General Hospital.

July 21st, 2009 Victims improve as union says operator blacked outSAN FRANCISCO — The four most seriously injured victims in a weekend light-rail crash were improving Monday, as a union official said the operator of the train had blacked out just before the collision with a parked train. Two of the victims were in good condition, one was fair and the fourth had been transferred to another hospital for non-medical reasons, said Rachael Kagan, spokeswoman for San Francisco General Hospital.

July 20th, 2009 NTSB: Train driver switched to manual before crashSAN FRANCISCO — A federal investigator says the operator of a light-rail train that crashed in San Francisco, injuring dozens of passengers, switched his controls from automatic to manual before he should have. National Transportation Safety Board investigator Ted Turpin said Sunday that the operator switched to manual in a tunnel near West Portal Station, instead of inside the station.

July 20th, 2009 SF train operator's actions come under scrutinySAN FRANCISCO — The operator of a light-rail train that crashed and injured dozens of passengers in San Francisco came under scrutiny Sunday as federal investigators tried to figure out why he inexplicably turned off the automatic controls moments before the collision. National Transportation Safety Board investigator Ted Turpin did not know why the operator switched the controls from automatic to manual in a tunnel near the West Portal Station.

July 20th, 2009 Rail operator's actions questioned in Calif. crashSAN FRANCISCO — Federal investigators are trying to find out why the operator of a San Francisco light-rail that crashed into a parked train and injured dozens of passengers had turned off the automatic controls moments before the collision.

July 20th, 2009 Union: SF train operator blacked out before crashSAN FRANCISCO — A light-rail operator blacked out just before his train crashed into a parked train, injuring dozens of passengers, the president of San Francisco's transit workers union said Monday. Union president Irwin Lum told The Associated Press a "medical condition" was to blame for the driver's loss of consciousness.

July 19th, 2009 WASINGTON - At least 60 people were injured when two light-rail trains collided at a station in San Francisco Saturday, local media reported. One train slammed into the back of another train standing at a platform at about 3 p.m., the CBS 5 television news reported.

July 19th, 2009 Dozens injured in San Francisco light-rail crashSAN FRANCISCO — A light-rail train crashed into the rear of another train at a San Francisco boarding platform Saturday, injuring at least 48 people, authorities said. The injured were treated at hospitals — four of them with what appeared to be severe injuries — after the Municipal Railway L train rear-ended the K train, also light-rail, about 2:30 p.m.

July 19th, 2009 Several injured in San Francisco light-rail crashSAN FRANCISCO — Several people are injured after two light-rail trains collided in San Francisco. Judson True, a spokesman for the city's Muni service, says the crash occurred just before 3 p.m.

July 19th, 2009 Probe begins in Calif. rail crash that hurt dozensSAN FRANCISCO — Authorities are investigating mechanical and human errors as possible causes of a collision between two San Francisco light-rail trains that has left several dozen people injured.

July 19th, 2009 NTSB investigators to probe SF light rail crashSAN FRANCISCO — Two investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board were helping San Francisco officials on Sunday determine the cause of a collision between two light-rail trains that left dozens of people injured. The Los Angeles-based investigators will work with transit officials to interview the train drivers, passengers and witnesses, said NTSB spokesman Peter Knudson.

July 9th, 2009 NTSB: No mechanical problems in Disney monorailORLANDO, Fla. — Federal investigators are focusing on why a switch failed to change positions in the monorail crash that killed an operator at Walt Disney World over the weekend.