Light rail train hits bus in LA; at least 13 hurt

[villager]

Source: AP

Light rail train hits bus in LA; at least 13 hurt

By ROBERT JABLON,

LOS ANGELES - A light rail train slammed into a bus near downtown during Friday morning's commute, injuring at least 13 people, fire officials said.
The Metro Blue Line train was headed to Long Beach carrying passengers while the bus was out of service. As many as two dozen people were hurt, but none of the injuries appeared to be life-threatening, Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey said.

"We had an out-of-service bus turn in front of the train," said Marc Littman, spokesman for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which operates both the train and the bus. "We don't know who had the right of way."

The impact knocked the front car of the electric train off the track. The other cars remained on the track. Littman said they were investigating the incident.

The crash comes just a week after a Metrolink commuter train smashed into a freight train in the San Fernando Valley, about 30 miles northwest of downtown, killing 25 people and injuring more than 130.

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Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080919/ap_on_re_us/light_rail_crash

[greyl]

1. "We don't know who had the right of way." ? Duh. nt

[slackmaster]

5. Gross Vehicle Weight Rule

Trains always have the right of way over cars and buses.

[Warpy]

2. Right of way always belongs to the vehicle on the track

because its stopping time is so much longer.

The bus driver was at fault. If the bus was out of service, he was probably overtired.

[Benhurst]

3. This kind of thing happens in Third World countries all the time.

We might as well get used to it.



The World's Only Superpower and Third World Dump
:patriot:
Bombs Away!

[kestrel91316]

4. My guess is, the mechanic driving the bus wasn't paying attention.

Cars get hit by the Blue Line with some regularity - they ignore the warning signs at the tracks, and think they can beat the train. Fortunately, this is "light rail", more like a really long electric bus on a track than a heavy train like Metrolink.

I saw a pic. The bus got dented, but even if people had been on it, I doubt anyone would have been killed. I think the train had time to brake some, and was only going 35 mph tops.

[foxfeet]

6. Somebody texting their BFF again? nt