unfortunately the toll is up to 2 dead. Lots of reports that there was track work going on this morning and early afternoon on that section of track. After commuting on the metro for years, unfortunately this looks like human error where some dumbass was taking a smoke break instead of doing his job.
Latest is 4 dead, including the operator of one of the trains, and at least 70 injured. Story. This was on the other side of DC from me, basically. I ride the Metro a lot, but rarely on this stretch of the Red Line. Great Maker . . .
Latest is six dead, 70+ wounded. Apparently on the completely other side of the city, trains were sharing a single track, which backed up traffic all across the line. The first train had apparently been sitting on the tracks not moving for ten minutes (normal for the red line, if not a short) while the Fort Totten platform was being serviced. Then another train ran full speed into the rear of the stationary train killing the driver and at least five others. Metro trains generally run automatically, though there is a manual emergency brake. This seems some combination of a malfunction and a driver who was too dependent on the computer and wasn't paying attention.
This is really sad. I feel bad for all of these people and their families. CNN is reporting 6 fatalities and 76 people treated for injuries with 2 of those people suffering from life threating injuries. It sounds like a freak accident, but maybe the driver wasn't paying attention. http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/06/22/washington.subway.crash/index.html
Not another math problem! "A train leaves the station heading East at 60 MPH...if the engineer of an East bound train sends out three text messages per minute....."
