TRAX Train Derails In West Valley, Collides With Second TRAX Train
Nov 1, 2018, 11:24 PM | Updated: Nov 2, 2018, 1:59 am
WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah – Investigators were trying to figure out what caused two TRAX trains to collide Thursday evening.
Utah Transit Authority spokesman Carl Arky said a northbound train was turning at the intersection of 3100 South and 2700 West in order to head east at around 7:25 p.m. when it derailed and collided with a southbound train.
That southbound train derailed as well following the impact, according to Arky.
Nineteen people were on board the southbound train, including Elaine Bowman.
“It was scary—just like being on a roller coaster, but I didn’t know if we were going to get hurt or not,” Bowman said. “It wasn’t very fun.”
Arky said the crash also resulted in a downed power pole and lines.
“I would think it’s going to take a couple of weeks for them to investigate this, go back and look at the video footage, talk to the operators and try to find out what happened.”
Arky said nobody was injured in the collision.
The northbound train, according to UTA, was carrying no passengers and was on its way back to the shop at the time of the crash.
Arky said bus bridges in place in the area could extend into Friday, and the investigation into the crash could take up to three weeks to complete.
“We’re going to have to find out exactly what happened and whether it’s something we could have prevented from happening,” Arky said. “It is a safe system and I think people can have confidence in it.”
