02/14/2011 // San Francisco , CA , USA // Mary Alexander // Bay Area accident attorney Mary Alexander
San Francisco, CA (Bay Area Injury Lawyer News)—After five light-rail vehicles derailed at the Green Division rail yard in less than a week, a union that represents Muni operators urged the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), which manages Muni, to make improvements and modifications to the yard’s aged trackway. Although no one was hurt in the slew of light-rail vehicle derailments that occurred between Jan. 9 and Jan. 14, Rafael Cabrera of the Transport Workers Union Local 250-A advised Muni to take swift action to prevent potential injuries and damages.
According to information provided by the San Francisco Examiner, Muni is expected to perform upgrades on the tracks at the Green Division rail yard as part of a $63 million citywide rail-replacement program. However, Muni’s director of transit, John Haley said it could take a year before the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency makes any major upgrades to the old tracks. Haley noted that the majority of the rail yard’s daily activity has been moved to the Muni Metro East facility on Third Street, which was opened in 2008.
Before Metro East was opened, Green Division was the only storage site being used to accommodate Muni’s 151 light-rail vehicles. Green Division was originally designed to house 80 of San Francisco’s historic streetcars, which weigh 30,000 pounds less than the city’s modernized light-rail vehicles. Reports indicated at least two of the recent Muni derailments were blamed on operators. According to Cabrera, “The MTA is fixing this problem in a patchwork way… They need to repave and rerail the whole yard before something real bad happens.” While Muni operators expressed their concerns over the injuries they could potentially suffer at the old rail yard, they also said they were worried their employers would hold them responsible for any damage to the light-rail cars. “This is potentially a very hazardous situation… And if anything bad happens, of course management will point the fingers at the operators,” Cabrera noted.
Leading Bay Area accident attorney Mary Alexander states if you or a loved one has been injured or killed in an accident involving an automobile or light-rail vehicle, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries and damages. With more than 25 years of experience litigating the multifaceted personal injury and wrongful death claims of accident victims and their families, contacting San Francisco vehicle accident attorney Mary Alexander may help you obtain the compensation you deserve.
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