5 Amtrak workers hurt after trucks crash near Readville MBTA station in Hyde Park
BOSTON - Five Amtrak workers were hurt and taken to hospitals after two trucks crashed in Hyde Park early Friday morning.
It happened around 4:30 a.m. near the Readville MBTA commuter rail station.
Transit Police Superintendent Richard Sullivan said one of the railroad's trucks collided with another Amtrak track truck. He said the collision "caused substantial damage to the vehicles involved."
Amtrak spokesperson Jen Flanagan said the workers were part of "an infrastructure maintenance work group" and that the five people hurt had "non-life-threatening injuries." Several Transit and Amtrak police officers were called in after the crash.
Transportation expert Carl Berkowitz said these maintenance trains typically travel at low speeds, either cleaning up or repairing the tracks. He said he's concerned about how they could crash into each other.
"But this type of accident, it should've never happened," said Berkowitz. "Who's watching? It seems like everybody was asleep at the wheel. Two trains should never collide."
"Members of the Transit Police Department's Accident Reconstruction Unit also responded and are investigating the incident and will present Chief Green and myself their findings when completed," Sullivan said in a statement.
Berkowitz said passengers shouldn't be worried about this news.
"The maintenance is to take the passenger service better," said Berkowitz. "That's the purpose of maintenance. I don't think that one should be nervous."