Report For SEPTA Crash At 69th St. Station Released

UPPER DARBY, PA – The National Transportation Safety Board released a preliminary report regarding the Aug. 22 SEPTA train crash at the 69th Street Transportation Center that injured 33 people.

In its report released this week, the NTSB said the operator of the Norristown High Speed Line told investigators that he didn't experience any braking problems with the train during his previous runs earlier in the day.

The train made eight runs before the crash, which occurred on the operators last run of the shift, according to the report.

The report goes on to say the tracks were slippery due to light precipitation and that the train slid past the Gulph Mills Passenger Station but was given permission to reverse back to that station to drop off passengers, then continue to the 69th Street station.

About half a mile from the 69th Street station, the operator began receiving a series of reduce speed cab codes from the automatic train control system, the report said.

The signal was "Stop" at the last track-side signal before the 69th Street station, the report said. The last track switch was lined up for the track 1 passenger platform, where the unoccupied train that was struck was stopped.

The operator stated he attempted to stop the train, but went through signal 6S, continued into the station, and struck the stopped train, which was shoved back but did not strike the bumping post at the end of the station track, the report states.

The crash occurred at about 12:20 a.m. when a Norristown High Speed line train crashed into an unoccupied train at the 69th Street Transportation Center, according SEPTA.

SEPTA said all injuries sustained were non life threatening.

One of the riders filed a lawsuit against SEPTA in relation to the crash.

The NTSB is continuing its investigation and did not give a probable cause for the crash in its preliminary report, which officials said supplemented or corrected as the investigation progresses.

Patch file photo