1982 Washington Metro train derailment facts for kids
Quick facts for kids 1982 Washington Metro train derailment |
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The train being inspected after the derailment
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| Details | |
| Date | January 13, 1982 4:29 p.m. EST (21:29 UTC) |
| Location | Between Federal Triangle and Smithsonian stations, Washington, D.C. |
| Coordinates | 38°53′26″N 77°01′44″W / 38.89056°N 77.02889°W |
| Country | United States |
| Line | Orange Line |
| Operator | Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority |
| Incident type | Train derailment |
| Cause | Operator error |
| Statistics | |
| Trains | 1 (1 six-car train) |
| Deaths | 3 |
| Injured | 25 |
The 1982 Washington Metro train derailment was a serious accident that happened on January 13, 1982. It involved a single Orange Line Washington Metro train during the afternoon rush hour. The accident occurred in Downtown Washington, D.C. in the United States.
The train went off its tracks, which is called a derailment. This happened while it was backing up from a track switch that was not set correctly. The accident took place between the Federal Triangle and Smithsonian stations. Sadly, three passengers died, and 25 people were hurt. Some survivors were stuck for many hours. This was the first time anyone had died in an accident on the Metro system. It was also the deadliest accident until a collision in June 2009 that killed nine people.
This incident happened only 30 minutes after Air Florida Flight 90 crashed nearby. That plane crash was at the 14th Street bridge complex. This meant that emergency workers were very busy, and transportation around Washington D.C. was very difficult.
What Happened
Before the accident, at 3:45 p.m. EST on January 13, 1982, a train had a power problem. Passengers on this train were asked to get off at Federal Triangle station. To help with delays, some trains were turning around at McPherson Square station.
After this, the Metro's control center tried to fix the track switches at the Smithsonian area. The switches for trains going west worked, but the switches for trains going east were still set incorrectly. The control center operators could not see this problem. Because of this, the signals showed red, and all trains had to be driven manually.
Another train passed over the switches without any problems. At 4:15 p.m. EST, the control center told a supervisor to stay at the Smithsonian track area. They asked the supervisor to "unblock the switch." The supervisor could not move one of the switches. Two switches were "unblocked" but were still in the wrong position. Later, the supervisor tried to fix the switches again. Two more trains passed through safely after getting instructions from the control center.
At 4:24 p.m. EST, the supervisor reported that all switches were fixed. The control center then allowed all trains to go through. However, the switches were still not closed properly.
Train 410 was a six-car train on its normal busy route. It was carrying about 1320 passengers, with 220 people in the first car. After leaving Federal Triangle, the train was being driven manually. The control center told Train 410 that a supervisor in the tunnel would guide them.
Train 410 stopped as required at a signal. The supervisor then allowed the train to move forward. As the train went over the track switches, the supervisor told the train operator to stop. The train stopped over the switches. At 4:28 p.m. EST, the supervisor told the control center that the switch looked wrong. The supervisor decided to back the train up over the switches. The supervisor got on the train and told the operator to remove his key from the controls. This gave the supervisor control of the train.
At 4:29 p.m. EST, the supervisor started to move the train backward over the switches. As it moved, the front wheels of the first car went off the track. One set of wheels followed one track, and the other set followed the wrong track. The car moved sideways across the tracks and hit a barrier, crushing the front of the car.
The train started to jerk, and the supervisor noticed that the brakes and power were lost. The train operator realized the train was derailing and told the supervisor to stop. However, the operator did not use the emergency brakes because he did not fully understand what was happening. Another supervisor reported that the train's power was out. The supervisor on Train 410 also reported that the train had no power. The supervisor reported the accident at 4:33 p.m. EST. A minute later, they reported that both tracks were blocked and there were injured passengers.
Injuries and Deaths
Out of the 1320 passengers on the train, three people died, and 25 people were hurt. These three deaths were the first in an accident on the Metro system. This accident remained the deadliest until a crash on June 22, 2009, which resulted in nine deaths.
What Happened After
After investigations in the months following the accident, officials found the cause was human error. The investigation showed that a Metro supervisor made 11 mistakes. These mistakes included not properly checking the faulty track switch that caused the derailment. Also, the train operator did not follow safety rules after passing through the switch. More errors also happened at the Metro control center.
Metro also looked into making the train cars stronger with more steel. This would help protect passengers better from side impacts in future accidents.
Before this accident, Metro rules said passengers had to stay on the train until rescue workers arrived. This was because of the 750-volt electric third rail that powers the trains. After the accident, Metro changed its rules. By 1985, they started putting emergency handles on trains. These handles allow passengers to escape a car if there is a fire or other emergency.
Train car 1029 was completely destroyed in the accident and was taken apart on site. The track switches and 200 feet of track were also ruined. About 80 feet of the third rail, which powers the trains, needed to be fixed. Other signal equipment was also damaged. The total cost of the damage was about $1,325,000. Train car 1028 was later changed into a special work car. It became a "feeler car" that checks how much space there is around the tracks. This car was retired in April 2016.
