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Calgary Transit Train Derails During Morning Rush; Driver Hurt

Sep 20, 2016 | 10:31 AM

CALGARY — Transit officials say a Calgary commuter train crash, which occurred during the peak of the morning rush hour on Tuesday, could have been much worse. 

A light-rail train was approaching the end of the line in Calgary’s northwest, but failed to stop. It crashed and derailed, leaving the driver, a woman in her early 60s, trapped inside. She was later taken to hospital with serious injuries.

Two passengers aboard the train were not hurt.

The lead car, which left the tracks, buckled. The front windshield was shattered with a large round hole punched through it.

“Part of the post that holds that overhead powerline shattered the windshield. We’re very, very, very fortunate. It could have been a lot worse obviously and we’re fortunate that it wasn’t,” said Calgary Transit spokesman Ron Collins.

“This train was going outbound by the way, not toward the downtown. Now we’re trying to determine exactly what happened,” he added.

“The train proceeded on to the tail track. It went through a fence and then it derailed onto the ground. The first car sustained lots of damage. It actually buckled.”

Paramedics feared the worst when they arrived.

“On arrival, it was not clear to EMS how many patients or passengers may have been aboard the train given the time of morning — 7 a.m., of course, is at the height of rush hour traffic and commuter traffic with transit,” said Emergency Medical Services spokesman Stuart Brideaux.

“Given the amount of damage to the cab of the LRT in the driver compartment, she did require extrication. However fortunately, we did have good access at the scene.”

Brideaux said the woman suffered serious injuries, but described her condition as stable.

Collins said it’s too early to speculate on what caused the crash until the driver is able to explain.

The Calgary LRT system has been running since 1981 and has expanded over the years, connecting the northwest, northeast and south sectors of the city to the downtown core. Unlike subway systems in other major cities, nearly all of the 53 kilometres of track is above ground.

Collins said although there have been accidents over the years involving pedestrians and occasionally vehicles, this one is out of the ordinary.

 

— With files from Ken Trimble in Edmonton. Follow @BillGraveland on Twitter

Bill Graveland, The Canadian Press

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