Tag Archives | Chatsworth

A major development in the investigation of that disastrous crash of a Metrolink commuter train and a Union Pacific freight train in Chatsworth last month.  According to a report released today by the National Transportation Safety Board, the engineer of the Metrolink train was text messaging while on duty — and sent one message 22 seconds before the fatal collision.   Engineer Robert Sanchez reportedly received or sent around 57 text messages during his shift on the day of the crash. The two trains collided at  about 4:22 p.m on September 12. Twenty-five... Read More →

  Google file  Image Metrolink trains are rolling again on the reopened Ventura County line today. Yesterday afternoon on newly repaired tracks, investigators finished the second phase of the sight distance tests; using two trains to re-create elements and conditions of that tragic train collision, which occurred last Friday in Chatsworth. Once that testing was done, the go ahead was given for Metrolink train 111 to pull out of the downtown Los Angeles Union station, which it did at around 3:35 p.m. It stopped in Chatsworth about an hour later before rolling on to Simi Valley and Moorpark. National... Read More →

Brian Vander Brug/ Los Angeles Times A rail worker helps test the equipment at the site of that tragic train collision. Investigators are back on the scene of that horrific train crash in Chatsworth today looking for answers and running more tests. Meanwhile, Metrolink riders boarded buses again this morning to get around the crash site. During a news conference last night, National Transportation Safety Board spokesperson Kitty Higgins spoke about the results of some of the tests done by investigators. Higgins said that those tests have determined there was no... Read More →

Lori Shepler/Los Angeles Times Crews began repairing the damaged railroad tracks on Saturday and will continue today. UPDATE:   There’s some management fallout from that Metrolink train crash.  Spokesperson Denise Tyrrell has resigned.  Speaking for Metrolink, Tyrrell announced on Saturday the commuter train engineer had blown past a red signal and probably caused the accident. Apparently, Tyrrell quit after being criticized by Metrolink board members for making that announcement. 8:02 p.m. UPDATE: The Los Angeles Coroner’s Office has dropped the death toll back down to 25.   6:48 p.m UPDATE: Death toll... Read More →

  Lawrence K.Ho/Los Angeles Times UPDATE: Federal investigators are on the scene in Chatsworth today searching for evidence to the cause of the train collision. The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the probe. NTSB spokesperson Kitty Higgins says the agency plans  “… to look at everything.” Also, the clean up of the site continues.  Sunday 2:43 p.m. Ken Hively/ Los Angeles Times UPDATE:  A day of mourning. Today flowers, messages, and balloons are being left along the train tracks in Chatsworth near where that terrible collision... Read More →