BART Train Derails In Concord, 3 Hurt
CONCORD (CBS SF) -- BART officials are estimating that the process of clearing the tracks after Sunday morning's train derailment in Concord may take all night.
Crews are currently working to separate the cars, but the electric third rail that powers the trains was damaged, Johnson said. It must be repaired before service can be restored.
Some of the passengers who were on the train said the derailment sounded like an earthquake.
"The train was moving and then suddenly, it started jerking, until it came to a stop" said one passenger. "I thought, we're just going to have to sit here for a few minutes. And then to find out, when we actually stood up and saw the cars, it was stunning and shocking."
Three people reportedly suffered minor back injuries as a result of the slow-speed derailment that occurred around 9:20 a.m., according to BART spokesman Linton Johnson.
Initially, Johnson had said that none of the 65 passengers on board the trains were injured.
The 10-car train had just left the Concord BART station en route to San Francisco International Airport when the eighth car's wheels came fully off the tracks. The ninth car's wheels also partially disengaged, according to Johnson.
BART officals are hoping to have cleared the tracks for service before the start of the morning commute. However, they are working on a contingency plan, Johnson said.
Details of the contingency plan have not yet been released.
A bus bridge between the Pleasant Hill and Pittsburg/Bay Point BART stations has been set up for passengers, as there is currently no service between those stations, Johnson said.
An investigation into the cause of the derailment is under way, Johnson said.
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