(The following story by Alan Suderman appeared on the Washington Examiner website on February 19, 2010
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Federal safety investigators on Thursday called for sturdier, federally regulated rail cars that won’t crumple like tin cans in an accident, as a Metro rail car did when it hit another train in June, killing nine.
The National Transportation Safety Board, an independent agency that investigates crashes and makes safety recommendations, put improving the design of subway rail cars on its “most wanted” list of federal safety improvements.
Nine people were killed and dozens more were injured June 22 when a Metro train slammed into a stopped train near the Fort Totten station. Those killed were riding in a 1000-series car that crumpled to one-third its original size when it hit the other train.
The NTSB has been calling for Metro to replace or retrofit the 1000-series cars, the oldest in its fleet, since 2006.
Metro, which began placing the 1000-cars in the middle of trains after the June accident, has said it can’t afford to replace the older cars. Once ordered, it would take several years before new cars would be ready to replace them.
“We are eager to be able to retire them, but we cannot retire them until we have replacement cars or the region will come to a grinding halt,” Metro spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein said.
NTSB officials also voiced support for legislation proposed by the Obama administration that would create national safety standards for the country’s subway systems, similar to standards for railroads and commuter trains, such as Amtrak, MARC and Virginia Railway Express.
NTSB Chairwoman Deborah Hersman said the location of the June accident, where Metro’s tracks are separated by a fence from Amtrak and MARC train tracks, provided a stark reminder of the need for stricter standards for subway agencies.
“On one side of the fence, you have crashworthiness standards for cars that the people ride in,” Hersman said. “On the other side of the fence, there are no standards. That doesn’t make any sense.”
Hersman said she hoped putting the rail car improvements on the “most wanted” list would send a signal to Congress to support increased standards for subway systems.
NTSB staff said the board also wants standards for emergency windows and doors on subway cars. NTSB staff noted that it took emergency responders more than an hour to reach a rail car in a 2004 crash in the Woodley Park area. Metro has announced plans to install emergency door releases for first responders on the exterior of all its trains by July.