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8/23/2023
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has issued a preliminary report on the July 27 Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) trolley derailment. The report outlines the facts of the incident.
A SEPTA trolley derailed at the intersection of Island Avenue and Woodland Avenue in Philadelphia and struck a sport utility vehicle and the Blue Bell Inn. A SEPTA maintenance technician was moving the trolley from the Elmwood maintenance facility to the adjoining yard for temporary storage when the brakes failed. Two people in the SUV and the technician were injured.
NTSB investigators have examined the accident location, equipment and track; completed interviews; tested the trolley’s brake system; and gathered records related to employee training and certification as well as SEPTA policies and procedures. Future investigative activity will focus on SEPTA’s trolley repair and maintenance practices, including pre-movement procedures for maintenance personnel as well as maintenance personnel training and supervision, and railroad oversight, according to an NTSB news release.
According to an article in the Philadelphia Inquirer, the incident was one of eight major crashes involving SEPTA buses and trolleys in a span of 20 days, beginning July 21. The accidents resulted in one fatality and caused injuries to at least 40 people.