The train accident attorneys at BISNAR | CHASE are extremely concerned about a "near miss" incident involving the driver of a Metrolink commuter train who ran a red signal as another passenger train approached on a track near downtown Los Angeles. According to a CBS news report, no one was injured in this incident, which happened last week. The train's engineer apparently declared an emergency after passing the red light and stopped before going through a switch and onto a section of track being used by another Metrolink train at that time.

Investigation into Engineer Running Red Light

Metrolink board members and the California Public Utilities Commission are investigating this near miss. They are looking at cameras in the cab, which recorded the moments prior to the incident. Investigators say they will review the tape to see if any safety rules were violated.

It is indeed a relief that this did not result in a catastrophic train accident reminiscent of the September 2008 Chatsworth Metrolink accident, which killed 25 people and seriously injured at least 134. Forty of those victims sustained serious or catastrophic injuries. In that case, the train's engineer, who also died in the crash, was texting moments before the crash. It is now illegal for Metrolink driver and conductors to text or use any communication devices while on the job. Metrolink also installed cameras in train cabs to keep track of their employees. Even before the Chatsworth Metrolink train accident, there was another head-on collision in Orange County on April 23, 2002 in Placentia, which killed two people and injured 260.

Safety Measures Still to Come

Metrolink has been talking about a lot of safety measures, but it is yet to install Positive Train Control (PTC), which is an automatic braking system. PTC uses Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) technology to spot two trains on a collision course and automatically apply brakes on both trains to effectively prevent a catastrophic crash and the serious personal injuries and heartbreaking fatalities that occur as a result.

Such a braking system would also slow trains that go past a yellow signal and stop them before they go past a red signal. If Metrolink officials, who knew about the availability of this technology even before the fatal Orange County train accident, had installed the high-tech PTC system in their trains, these horrific accidents may have been prevented.

We are not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free confidential consultation to "not a fault" persons named in this article and their family members.