Green Line derailment still impacting commute, NTSB investigating cause
CAMBRIDGE – The MBTA said Wednesday it is not yet clear when regular service will resume on the Green Line as crews have not yet cleared a train that derailed in Cambridge.
Green Line derailment
Seven people suffered minor injuries on Tuesday following the derailment near Lechmere Station. According to the MBTA, the agency's investigation is focused on "human factors" causing the derailment.
There were about 50 people on board at the time.
As of late Wednesday night, the train remains in the area of the Red Bridge where the Medford/Tufts branch and Union branch intersect.
Shuttle buses are running between North Station and Union Square and also between North Station and Medford/Tufts.
"We apologize for this unfortunate incident, to the riders who were aboard this Green Line trolley yesterday, and to riders who continue to be disrupted by the shut down," MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng said in a statement. "Safety continues to be our top priority and this incident is unacceptable. We're working alongside our federal and state partners to understand what happened to make sure this doesn't happen again. We know this unplanned service change is a challenge, and we thank our riders for their patience at this time."
NTSB investigation
According to the MBTA, the lead trolley's wheels came off the tracks. That caused another car to derail, though it remained upright.
Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) were on scene through the night Wednesday.
The NTSB said its investigations focus on human, machine, and operating environment factors.
The derailment happened in the same spot where just last year, the line closed after a train experienced a power failure. In the months after, the entire Green Line Extension had its rails repaired.
"What we do know is that this is not related to the rail, it's not related to the track," Gov. Maura Healey said Wednesday. "But we will leave that to the NTSB and that investigation and again I just want that done quickly so that we can make sure the right steps are taken."
A preliminary NTSB report will be available within 30 days, while the final report won't be released for 12-24 months.
Any witnesses or people with surveillance video of the derailment are asked to email witness@ntsb.gov.
