2015 Los Angeles train crash
| 2015 Los Angeles train crash | |
|---|---|
|
A Metro Expo Line train similar to the one involved in this accident, in Los Angeles | |
| Details | |
| Date | March 28, 2015 |
| Location | Los Angeles, California |
| Country | United States |
| Operator | Expo Line |
| Type of incident | Vehicle obstructing track |
| Cause | Under investigation |
| Statistics | |
| Trains | 1 |
| Injuries | 21 |
The 2015 Los Angeles train crash occurred on the morning of March 28, 2015 when an Expo Line[1] light rail train collided with a silver Hyundai Sonata[2] at Exposition Boulevard and Vermont Avenue near the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles. The train hit the car at a traffic signal which was located between the school and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. Both vehicles were eastbound at the time when the car turned toward the school gate at which time it was hit by the train. The car landed between a pole and the train. The first two of the train's four cars partially derailed, but all four cars remained upright.[3] The derailment occurred by the rose garden of Exposition Park.[4]
Approximately 100 Metro passengers were involved.[5] Twenty-one persons were known to be injured,[6] 10 of whom were hospitalized.[7] The driver of the Hyundai, a graduate production student at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, was critically injured. The train engineer was hospitalized in serious condition, but later released.[4] The other 19 injuries were not considered to be life-threatening.[3] The incident caused major delays on the Expo Line, with thousands of travelers expected to utilize the train to arrive at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for a sold-out soccer match between Mexico and Ecuador. After the accident, shuttle buses were provided to bring soccer fans to the Coliseum.[8]
At least 18 accidents have occurred involving Metro trains in the year before this accident, with many of them occurring along the Expo and Blue Lines. The Expo Line connects Los Angeles with Culver City, while the Blue Line connects Los Angeles with Long Beach, and shares surface street traffic with private vehicles.[9] The accident "affected the USC community but also invited a heated, city-wide debate over the current Metro system layout and safety".[10] Professor Najmedin Meshkati of the USC Viterbi School of Engineering has been outspoken about the dangers of Expo line crossings since 2012.[5]
References
- ↑ Song, Jason. "At least 21 hurt, one critically, when Expo Line train hits car". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
- ↑ Fleeman, Michael (28 March 2015). "Los Angeles train hits car on tracks and derails, 21 hurt". Reuters. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "LA light rail train hits car, partially derails; 21 hurt". Associated Press (Boston Herald). Retrieved 29 March 2015.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lloyd, Jonathan (30 March 2015). "Driver in Metro Train Crash Identified as USC Graduate Production Student". NBC Los Angeles. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Conway, Dan (31 March 2015). "Los Angeles rail accident exposes decaying state of public transit in the US". wsws.org. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
- ↑ Moore, Irene. "At Least 21 People Injured After Metro Train Crash Involving 2 Vehicles: LAFD". NBC. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
- ↑ Moore, Irene (28 March 2015). "10 People Hospitalized in Metro Train Crash Near USC". NBC. Retrieved 29 March 2015.
- ↑ "Expo Line resumes service after collision near USC campus". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 29 March 2015.
- ↑ Nelson, Laura (28 March 2015). "Metro light rail crash near USC renews debate on rail safety". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 29 March 2015.
- ↑ Wang, Danni (30 March 2015). "Expansion and refinement would bolster L.A. transit". Daily Trojan. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
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