Chicago Transit Faulted in Derailment

The AP reports:

A seriously flawed inspection and maintenance program that failed to spot corroded, bent and broken track fasteners likely played a major role in a subway train derailment last year in Chicago that injured more than 150 people, federal regulators said Tuesday.

The National Transportation Safety Board also determined that insufficient time allowed for inspections and limited training of inspectors contributed to unsafe conditions on the Chicago Transit Authority's Blue Line.

"This accident would never have occurred if the oversight agencies involved were more diligent in exercising their responsibilities," NTSB Chairman Mark Rosenker said. "We have seen far too many accidents in which the authorities responsible for overseeing the safe operation of a transportation system fail to get the job done."

The CTA said in a statement that it had already implemented many of the NTSB report's safety recommendations, including improvements to the track inspection process and completion of major infrastructure repairs.

"We are confident that the practices we have put into place address those issues raised by the NTSB investigation into last year's derailment," the statement said. "The CTA is committed to providing the safest transit system possible."

About 1,000 passengers were aboard the eight-car train when it derailed downtown during the early evening rush period on July 16, 2006, causing a smoky fire and seriously injuring six people. The others were treated for smoke inhalation.

The accident caused more than $1 million in damage.

Inspection records were particularly troubling, according to the NTSB report.

During a three-month period last year more than 80 percent of inspector records covering the area of the accident were missing, as were hundreds of records for the entire Blue Line, according to investigators.

Could Enron get away with missing records? Great moments in public transportation.I guess the government can't keep you safe and secure.