Talk about your bad timing. Only two days after celebrating the one-year anniversary of the launch of the MetroRail Red Line – a year, Capital Metro noted, with “zero vehicle or passenger accidents” – the train had its first crash. Fortunately, it was minor, with no injuries and minimal damage to the train. A teenager in a pickup truck failed to yield right-of-way to the train at a private crossing between the Lakeline and Leander stations, and the rail vehicle clipped the truck’s tailgate. The private crossing, one of 13 along the 32-mile line, is not equipped with lights and gates, just a stop sign and railroad warning signs. Cap Metro officials said its rail contractor, Herzog Companies, reviewed the incident and found that its engineer followed proper procedure and that the crossing complies with visibility and safety requirements. Perhaps next time Cap Metro will remember to include “knock on wood” in its press releases.
This article appears in Dome Sweet Dome.