Feds Had Told DC to Bench Crashed Train

Electronic 'anomalies' found, markings indicated driver hit emergency brakes

(NEWSER) - Federal investigators believe an electronic problem may have caused Monday's deadly train crash in Washington DC, the Washington Post reports. Teesting has uncovered "anomalies" in a section of the Metro's automated control system, which senses train locations and sends speed commands, according to investigators. More»

(NEWSER) - Experts suspect yesterday’s deadly subway collision in Washington was the result of both a system failure and human error, the Washington Post reports. The city’s trains are run by onboard computers, which should, theoretically, prevent trains from colliding. The system has failed once before, in 2005, but the operators hit the emergency brakes in time. It appears yesterday’s operator did not. More»

Public anger erupts over second train crash since July

(NEWSER) - More than 260 people were injured today when two subway trains collided in central Shanghai, a government official says. Most of the wounds were bruises and bone fractures, and none were critical, Reuters reports, but one passenger says that “blood was everywhere." More»

(NEWSER) - The Washington subway car that rear-ended another yesterday, killing nine passengers, was two months overdue for brake maintenance, a Metro source tells the Post today. “These components are supposed to be changed out to prevent failures,” the source said; officials have not said if they think the car’s age and condition played a role in the wreck. More»

(NEWSER) - Washington, DC, officials have reduced the fatalities in yesterday's Metro crash to seven from the nine previously reported, reports AP. Mayor Adrian Fenty said officials are "going to let the investigation run its course" and that hopefully the number will not exceed seven by the end of the day. Fenty also said that two remain in critical but stable condition in area hospitals. The Red Line accident, which occurred during rush hour as one train rammed into the rear of another, was the worst in the 33-year history of the Metro. More»