Seattle Sees Monorail’s Second Mishap in Two Years
The investigation into Seattles recent monorail crash was expected to begin late last week after crews got the pair of trains safely back to a maintenance station. Crews early last week were using a 120-ton hydraulic crane and a pulley system to attach cable from a tow truck to the trains and pull them on the tracks toward the station, at Seattle Center. As of ENR press time, the trains had advanced far enough to be separated but were not yet at the station.
Carrying 84 passengers, Seattles red and blue trains sideswiped each other the evening of Nov. 26. The one-mile line connects Seattle Center to the downtown Westlake Center Mall. The accident occurred at Westlake station. Officials believe failed signal lights or failed communication between drivers contributed to both trains passing through the narrow curve at the same time. There were not any injuries.