Probe on LRT train collision starts; retrieval disrupts EDSA traffic

Even as it allayed fears of a collision involving trains with passengers, the Light Rail Transit Administration started Saturday an investigation into the collision of two of its coaches in Quezon City. LRTA spokesman Hernando Cabrera said they will have to retrieve the “black box" data recorders of the two trains that collided at the reversing track on Friday. “Each of the trains in Friday’s mishap has a black box that recorded the systems data at the time of the incident. We have to download the information once the coaches are brought to the yard at our Baclaran depot," Cabrera said in Filipino in an interview on dzRH radio. He said cranes had already been deployed to the site of the incident, but had disrupted traffic along the southbound part of Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (EDSA). Cabrera advised motorists to avoid the southbound lane for now and take alternate routes. Friday’s incident occurred at the reversing track near the LRT’s Roosevelt station, forcing the LRTA to cut operations between Roosevelt and Monumento. In an interview on dzBB radio Friday, Cabrera said the LRT operations between Monumento and Baclaran would continue. Focus of investigation Cabrera said the probe will look into whether Friday’s incident stemmed from a human or systems error. According to him, aside from manual brakes, the trains also have “dead man’s brakes" that must be depressed at all times, and will stop the trains once the operator takes his foot off them. “Pag nabitawan ito titigil ang tren. Kung atakehin ang operator, automatic mabibitawan ito, titigil kusa ang tren," he said. “We want to know if this was a human or a systems error," he added. He also said they will look into whether the trains observed a 15-kph speed limit while on reversing tracks at the time they collided. Friday’s incident had the two trains traveling on one reversing tracks, where the coaches swerve to travel in the opposite direction. “What happened Friday will definitely not happen on tracks where trains with passengers pass. Besides, before the trains go along the reversing tracks, the passengers should be ordered to disembark," he said. — LBG, GMA News