Train Derailment In Essex County: Here’s What Happened, Investigators Say

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Federal investigators have released preliminary findings from their investigation into a NJ Transit train derailment that recently took place in North Jersey.

The derailment took place in Montclair on the evening of Dec. 19, temporarily suspending rail service on a stretch of the Montclair-Boonton line. Authorities initially reported that 17 people suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Six people – each NJ Transit crew members – were hospitalized and later released. All 11 passengers declined medical transport.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released an update about their ongoing investigation into the derailment, which caused about $180,000 in damages.

According to the NTSB, the incident took place at 6:47 p.m. when an eastbound commuter train collided with a stopped commuter train that had 11 passengers on board.

The eastbound train had one cab car, four passenger cars and one pushing locomotive. The other train had one cab car, two passenger cars and one pushing locomotive.

Both trains were crewed by one conductor, one engineer and one brakeman.

Visibility conditions at the time of the accident were “dark and clear with no precipitation,” the NTSB reported.

Before the accident, both trains were westbound traveling on track 1. However, due to downed trees blocking the track – a result of a storm earlier that evening – NJ Transit rerouted the trains, having them turn back east and operate on track 2.

Here’s what happened next, the NTSB said:

“The struck train was stopped on track 2 waiting for a train ahead to depart Bay Street Station. The collision occurred in a sharp right-hand curve on a downhill grade with about 126 feet of limited sight distance when the standing train could first be seen … At the time of the collision, the striking train was operating on a stop and proceed signal indication that required movement under restricted-speed rules. The striking train collided with the stopped train at 17 mph. Three cars from the striking train derailed and one car from the struck train derailed.”

According to the NTSB, investigators at the scene inspected the track, signals and equipment, performed “sight-distance observations” using exemplar trains, reviewed event recorder data and performed interviews. Federal investigators have requested documents including the NJ Transit dispatcher radio and telephone recordings.

An investigation continues, the agency said last week.

“Future investigative activity will focus on NJ Transit’s internal oversight, operational procedure and Positive Train Control functionality on trains operating at restricted speed,” the NTSB added.

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