On Thursday afternoon, New York City faced a significant disruption in its bustling subway system following a train derailment on the Upper West Side. The incident caused the suspension of subway service in the uptown area of Manhattan during the afternoon rush hour.
The train carrying up to as many as 500 passengers derailed near the 96th Street station when it collided with a disabled train stuck on the track. The impact of the collision caused both trains to derail, resulting in at least 24 injuries. FDNY Deputy Assistant Chief Ian Swords told reporters that all of the reported injuries were not life-threatening and emphasized the crash occurred at low speed.
Several injured after subway train collision, derailment in NYC https://t.co/t7POACIRaE pic.twitter.com/NUqgcVVEPO
— New York Post (@nypost) January 4, 2024
The New York City Transit Subway confirmed late Thursday that emergency teams were deployed to assist passengers and investigate the cause of the derailment. Emergency services arrived on site quickly and helped ensure all affected passengers were rapidly evacuated from the disabled train.
Metropolitan Transit Authority President Rich Davey told reporters that there was no indication of equipment failure. “The equipment was working as intended,” he assured as he also confirmed that the investigation was now focused on human error as the cause of the incident.
1/2/3 service remains partially suspended at many stations in Manhattan through at least the morning rush hours. Our crews are making repairs to a train that derailed near 96 St.
When repairs are made, we will move this train to its storage facility, inspect the tracks, and make… pic.twitter.com/diyucNJxZC
— NYCT Subway (@NYCTSubway) January 5, 2024
The passenger train, which had not completely exited the station at the time of the derailment, was evacuated via the station platform. An additional 300 to 400 passengers from another train, which was not directly involved but was stuck behind the collision, were also evacuated. The additional evacuation operation was conducted through and using the derailed train, demonstrating the quick thinking and resourcefulness of emergency response personnel on the scene.
The extended effects of the derailment were felt far beyond the immediate scene. The system saw significant delays and disruptions in city-wide subway service through the completion of the Friday morning rush hour. MTA officials suggested alternative routes for passengers on other subway trains and city buses in order to lessen the traffic backup.
The city’s subway system has previously experienced similar incidents caused by human error. One notable incident occurred in June 2017 in Manhattan where a derailment injured at least 34 people. In that incident, two subway cars jumped the tracks after the emergency brakes were activated. The cause was traced back to human error after a worker accidentally flipped a switch for the wrong track while fixing switches at the station.
Accidents caused by human error cause service disruptions and injuries and also contribute to wider concerns about a transit system struggling with efficiency and safety. In response to recent incidents of the type experienced this week, the MTA has implemented measures to prevent human errors and enhance safety. Those include the installation of platform barriers at selected stations, the use of lighting and cameras to prevent track trespassing, and the implementation of track intrusion detection systems.
Additionally, the MTA plans to use artificial intelligence and analytics to monitor CCTV footage from stations for potentially dangerous behavior or conditions.
