A light rail train recently traveled for more than a mile without an operator due to a technician's error, the Sacramento Regional Transit District said Thursday.
The district said that on Feb. 17 the train traveled 1.5 miles at speeds up to 43 miles per hour from the RT light rail maintenance facility at 2700 Academy Way to the Arden/Del Paso light rail station.
"The light rail vehicle was out of service due to an intermittent electrical fault," the district said. "The light rail vehicle technician erred and bypassed key safety features designed to prevent the light rail vehicle from moving. These actions set the light rail vehicle in motion without an operator."
The train traveled from a storage track to the main track, where its middle wheels derailed for a period. The wheels went back on the rails when the train struck concrete edge of the platform at the the Swanston station.
The train coasted to a stop after the device that connected it to the overhead power lines was damaged.
"At the time of the incident, there were no light rail vehicles in the vicinity on the southbound track," the district said. "The crossing arms, bells and flashing lights were activated and working properly at the three grade crossings. There were no injuries or property damage, other than RT-related property."
The employee who committed the error has worked for the district for 23 years, including 12 years as a technician. The district and the California Public Utilities Commission are continuing to investigate the incident.
