page_title: June 2009 Washington Metro train collision
section_title: Service disruption
hierarchical_section_title: June 2009 Washington Metro train collision / Response / Service disruption
caption_attribution_description: English: NTSB file ID 422863. Original caption, "NTSB accident photo" http://www.ntsb.gov/Dockets/RailRoad/DCA09MR007/default.htm
context_page_description: During the afternoon rush hour of June 22, 2009, a subway train-on-train collision occurred between two southbound Red Line Washington Metro trains in Northeast, Washington, D.C., United States. A moving train collided with a train stopped ahead of it; the train operator along with eight passengers died, and 80 people were injured, making it the deadliest crash in the history of the Washington Metro.
  The National Transportation Safety Board investigation found that after a June 17 replacement of a track circuit component at what became the site of the June 22 collision, the track circuit had been suffering from parasitic oscillations which left it unable to reliably report when that stretch of track was occupied by a train. The struck train came to a stop because of traffic ahead. Because the entire train was within the faulty circuit, it became invisible to the Automatic Train Control system. The train behind it was therefore commanded to proceed at 55 mph. The operator of the striking train applied the emergency brake after the stopped train came into full view, but there was not enough time to prevent the collision, which occurred at approximately 49 mph.
context_section_description: Immediately following the incident, Red Line services were suspended between the Fort Totten and Takoma stations, and New Hampshire Avenue was closed. Service between the Silver Spring and Rhode Island Ave–Brentwood stations was suspended pending the completion of the initial investigation and the clearing of debris. This section was expected to remain shut down at least through June 23. Washington Mayor Adrian Fenty said that transportation "all along the East Coast will be significantly impacted," as Amtrak and MARC Trains run on tracks adjacent to the crash site. Bus services were deployed to route Metrorail passengers around the closed track, but area commuting was severely affected. The federal government urged its employees in the capital area to telecommute on June 23 if possible. The Red Line was projected to be very crowded after resumption of service and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) advised people to take alternate bus routes. The replacement bus shuttle between the affected stations was expected to be subjected to long delays.
  Services were restored in both directions on Saturday, June 27, but with a reduced maximum speed of 35 mph on the entire Red Line, and slower speeds in the area of the collision.
caption: Clean up recovery of the wrecked cars following the collision. Red Line service was suspended between Fort Totten and Silver Spring until Saturday June 27.
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