Huge Train Wreck in Chatsworth, CA

[underseasurveyor]

About 2+ hours ago a Metrolink commuter train with up to 350 home bound commuters collided with a freight train that reports on television say was traveling approx. 60 mph.

Reports say that at least 6 are known dead and it's unknown how many injured.

I can tell you that watching tv there are dozens upon dozens of firefighters trying to rescue people that are still trapped in the wreckage. There's also a large triage area. They say that the commuter train was hit with such force the front car was shoved into the car directly behind it.

It's a sad day on the west coast and on the gulf coast:-(
Hug your loved ones:grouphug:

[TornadoTN]

1. Horrible - what a horrible day

Unreal. So much destruction, death, and shattered lives.

[ddeclue]

2. Holy Crap!! A hurricane in Houston, tornadoes in Kansas and a train wreck in California!

Hopefully nothing toxic spilled out there - sorry to hear about the deaths..

:hide:

Doug D.

[underseasurveyor]

7. I haven't heard any mention on what the freight train was carrying

The news is concentrating on the rescue efforts.

[aquart]

13. Did we, perhaps, annoy something?

[RetroLounge]

3. It's a mess.

Hope there's no more dead...



RL

[npk]

5. This sounds like national news

But I can't find the story on any of the major news networks. They are all covering the hurricane, and rightfully so I know, but you would think they would update us on this story.

[RetroLounge]

12. It's on CNN & The Chicago Trib

RL

[npk]

17. Yeah I found it on CNN

I was trying to see television coverage of the story, but the hurricane is pretty much dominating all tv news coverage.

[Whoa_Nelly]

4. o dear...

sad :cry:


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/2828056/Three-killed-in-Los-Angeles-commuter-train-crash.html

[napi21]

16. Is there a "train intersection" there or does it just look like that?

It looks like the freight train was traveling in an east/west direction and the passenger train was going north/south!

[underseasurveyor]

18. No the trains were on the same track

Going opposite directions.. Not a good thing.

[napi21]

19. UH OH. Sounds like someone wasn't doing their job at the switching

controls! There are warning alarms to alert the controler of things like that! That was a BIG screwup!

[liberalmuse]

6. WTF?

Did that CERN experiment unleash Pandora's box, or what? This is a shitty day, alright.

[Oeditpus Rex]

8. Man, wasn't there a huge train wreck just north of there

a couple of years ago?

[KitchenWitch]

10. Was that the one that a guy parked his car on the tracks and walked away?

He was found guilty.

[Oeditpus Rex]

14. I don't remember the details

Just that it was up around Santa Clarita or thereabouts.

I think there were two trains involved — a head-on, perhaps.

[kestrel91316]

21. No, the big wreck with 11 dead because of the suicidal asshole

was in Glendale.

[underseasurveyor]

15. They did report that there was another Metrolink related death today

I don't remember where they said it was and in that report a car was hit by a Metrolink train. People many times try to beat the train or driving around the crossing arms. Not sure what the details are on that one yet but anyway the driver of that car was the fatality.

[npk]

9. Here is a link to the story for anyone interested.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/09/12/train.collision.ap/index.html

[goodgd_yall]

30. Thanks. n/t

[underseasurveyor]

11. Here's a link to the local Abc station

KABC in Los Angeles
http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/index

[kestrel91316]

20. I am watching it live on KTLA.

Helicopter after helicopter after helicopter, dozens and dozens of injured, lots of people still trapped.

Seven cars on the Metrolink overturned.

This is just a few miles NW of me. Been hearing lots and lots of sirens this afternoon.

[kestrel91316]

22. News just reported the entire city is on tactical alert because of this.

WTF??????

It's a train collision, not a race riot.

[KitchenWitch]

23. But we are now in George Bush's America

Therefore everything warrants tactical alert, because you never know when the terrorists will arrive.

[kestrel91316]

24. Now they are saying just the San Fernando Valley bureau of LAPD is on

tactical alert. Not sure why. Chief Bratton isn't normally into showboating.

The Metrolink engine was shoved INTO the first passenger car. Few people have been brought out of it. I am concerned that it might be because they have got a hell of a lot of bodies in there.

Edit: now reporting SEVEN fatalities and at least 70 (serious) injuries.

[TornadoTN]

29. Tactical alert? That's interesting - also that car was hit very, very hard

That first passenger car was described as "pancaked" - the force that it was hit with must have been of unbelievable proportions. I doubt that many people survived in that car.

[kestrel91316]

32. The wreck was on a blind curve as the tracks head up into the hills between

the San Fernando Valley and Simi Valley.

[kestrel91316]

33. The wreck was on a blind curve as the tracks head up into the hills between

the San Fernando Valley and Simi Valley.

[kestrel91316]

25. Mayor Villaraigosa reporting that 10-15 dead, 60-70 injured.

He seems stunned.

300 firefighters/rescue personnel on scene.

[kestrel91316]

26. 4 or 5 patients transported to UCLA; 9 or so to Northridge; several to Holy Cross.

Several are in surgery: broken bones, head injuries, chest injuries.

Worst accident in Metrolink history.

[KitchenWitch]

27. Oh gods, this is awful.

:cry:

[kestrel91316]

28. Fire department now reporting death toll may be as high as 20.

[RollWithIt]

31. I don't understand how that can happen....

A freight train running on the same track at 60 mph and no one knew it was coming? All those lines are supposed to be computerized by now.

[TornadoTN]

34. One of the photos looks like the freight car ended up splitting the passenger car

Am I seeing this right? It looks like it speared it in half. Another is showing that part of the passenger car ended up in car behind it. The death toll in that car is likely catastrophic.

[Liberal_in_LA]

35. It's horrible. I live a few miles away. Fire trucks/ambulances/helicopters everywhere.