Anti-collision technology called for on MBTA Green Line as early as 2009
Two Green Line cars collided, causing injuries not to mention disruptions.It happened Friday on the B Branch, and it's happened before. Once in 2008 and again in 20o9. After each of those earlier crashes, the National Transportation Safety Board has cited the lack of anti-collision technology as a contributing factor.The NTSB is investigating the most recent crash, and the anti-collision technology called for back then is still not in place, though it is in process.A driver died in the 2008 collision in Newton. And after the 2009 Boston accident, directly caused by a driver who was texting, the NTSB said in its report, "Contributing to the accident was the lack of a positive train control system that would have intervened to stop the train and prevent the collision."The positive train control system is already in place on commuter trains thanks in part to a federal mandate and federal resources that helped pay for it. It can automatically brake a train before impact.A contract for what's called the Green Line Train Protection System was given the green light last year, but the $170 million project won't be ready until 2024.Late Monday, the NTSB said one of the Green Line trains involved in the Boston crash was traveling 30 miles per hour.Earlier in the day, Gov. Charlie Baker commented on the train's speed, saying, "I'm really anxious to find out exactly what happened because this could have been a far more significant incident given the estimates that are out there about how fast that train was traveling when it hit the other train."Brian Kane, executive director of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Advisory Board, said the anti-collision system on the Green Line is mostly "operator line of sight and operator reflexes."He said the anti-collision system is more difficult to implement on the Green Line, the busiest light rail line in the country because the trains regularly travel close together."There is a fear, I think, amongst T operations folks that this system could get triggered. A train could shut down because it got too close to another train on purpose and then they might not be able to restart it or you might have a cascading failure and that would really screw up operations for the rest of rush hour," he said."For people who say, why is it taking so long? What do you say?" 5 Investigates' Mike Beaudet said."It is taking too long. But I think the T is doing the best they can in a really complex situation that has no good answer," Kane said.Kane believes the system could be done sooner than 2024 if the federal government mandated it like it did on the commuter rail and helped pay for it.
Two Green Line cars collided, causing injuries not to mention disruptions.
It happened Friday on the B Branch, and it's happened before. Once in 2008 and again in 20o9. After each of those earlier crashes, the National Transportation Safety Board has cited the lack of anti-collision technology as a contributing factor.
The NTSB is investigating the most recent crash, and the anti-collision technology called for back then is still not in place, though it is in process.
A driver died in the 2008 collision in Newton. And after the 2009 Boston accident, directly caused by a driver who was texting, the NTSB said in its report, "Contributing to the accident was the lack of a positive train control system that would have intervened to stop the train and prevent the collision."
The positive train control system is already in place on commuter trains thanks in part to a federal mandate and federal resources that helped pay for it. It can automatically brake a train before impact.
A contract for what's called the Green Line Train Protection System was given the green light last year, but the $170 million project won't be ready until 2024.
Late Monday, the NTSB said one of the Green Line trains involved in the Boston crash was traveling 30 miles per hour.
Earlier in the day, Gov. Charlie Baker commented on the train's speed, saying, "I'm really anxious to find out exactly what happened because this could have been a far more significant incident given the estimates that are out there about how fast that train was traveling when it hit the other train."
Brian Kane, executive director of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Advisory Board, said the anti-collision system on the Green Line is mostly "operator line of sight and operator reflexes."
He said the anti-collision system is more difficult to implement on the Green Line, the busiest light rail line in the country because the trains regularly travel close together.
"There is a fear, I think, amongst T operations folks that this system could get triggered. A train could shut down because it got too close to another train on purpose and then they might not be able to restart it or you might have a cascading failure and that would really screw up operations for the rest of rush hour," he said.
"For people who say, why is it taking so long? What do you say?" 5 Investigates' Mike Beaudet said.
"It is taking too long. But I think the T is doing the best they can in a really complex situation that has no good answer," Kane said.
Kane believes the system could be done sooner than 2024 if the federal government mandated it like it did on the commuter rail and helped pay for it.
Gloss