NTSB continues investigation into 69th Street Terminal train collision

UPPER DARBY, PA (WTXF) - Wednesday morning Investigators returned to the scene of a train collision in Upper Darby that left more than 30 people injured early Tuesday morning.

NTSB crews are continuing to investigate what caused an inbound Norristown High-Speed Line train to collide with an unoccupied train that was parked in the 69 th Street Terminal.

The crash occurred early Tuesday morning around 12:15 a.m. and injured 32 passengers along with the train operator. The operator was treated and released later in the morning and is expected to cooperate with investigators at the scene on Wednesday.

Wednesday morning, the train cars involved in the crash had been removed from the track and taken off-site for further investigation.

NTSB investigators are expected to look into the integrity of the SEPTA train cars to determine how some of the injuries to passengers occurred, due to the buckling of the floors inside the train car.

Authorities are also expected to look into the SEPTA's practice of leaving unoccupied trains on the tracks in that area. Another investigation team is investigating whether or not the signal system and control center were properly functioning.

The investigation at the scene is expected to last several days.

In February, four people were injured in a crash near the 69th Street Terminal involving three out-of-service commuter trains. At the time, SEPTA said one train rear-ended another on a loop where trains turn around to get back into service. Cars from that accident derailed and hit a third train on nearby tracks.