Federal agency blames 'poor safety culture' for 2021 DC Metro train derailment
A top federal transportation safety official is harshly criticizing Washington's regional transit agency, saying a “poor safety culture” led to an October 2021 derailment that caused hundreds of new Metro railcars to be pulled from service
WASHINGTON — A top federal transportation safety official on Thursday harshly criticized Washington’s regional transit agency, saying a “poor safety culture” led to an October 2021 derailment that caused hundreds of new Metro railcars to be pulled from service.
A final National Transportation Safety Board report on the incident concluded that the Washington Area Metropolitan Transit Authority had been aware for years of a safety issue that caused the wheels on the new 7000-series Metro cars to expand wider than the tracks. However, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said that information was poorly communicated within the organization and not acted upon with the proper urgency.
“This incident was 100% preventable,” Homendy said at a news conference. “We're absolutely lucky that this did not end in a tragedy.”
On Oct. 12, 2021, an eight-car train slipped off the tracks on the Metro’s Blue Line near Arlington National Cemetery. Some passengers were trapped in a tunnel in a dark train car and had to be evacuated on foot, but there were no serious injuries.
Homendy said in 2021 the car had apparently derailed once earlier in the day, and then re-connected with the rails by itself, before derailing a second time. On Thursday, she said that further analysis had revealed two separate incidents where the train car briefly derailed and then corrected itself.
The derailment and the ensuing investigation helped speed the ouster of former WMATA general manager Paul Wiedefeld. After announcing his
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