Metro Train Crash in Washington DC
Two Washington DC Metro Commuter Trains crashed into each other before 5 pm rush hour this afternoon. Reports says six were dead and many other injuries have been reported.
This is the second such major rail catastrophe in recent history. The first was the crash in California that resulted in text messaging being banned from commuter rail. Hopefully history has not repeated itself with the situation in Washington, DC. The train crash hits home for me as I could have been one of the passengers on these trains or even my friends. I have not heard reports on who all was involved so I still may know someone. Please keep the victims and families of Washington DC in your thoughts.
Read the full Report from CNN.com
Six killed in Washington-area Metro train collision
WASHINGTON (CNN) — A rush-hour collision Monday between two Metro trains north of downtown Washington, D.C., killed at least six people and injured scores, Mayor Adrian Fenty said.
One train was stationary when the crash happened, according to Metro General Manager John Catoe.
He called it the deadliest crash in the history of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, known as Metro. One of the dead was the female operator of one of the trains, Metro officials said.
“The scene is as horrific as you can imagine,” Fenty said in a news conference. “One car was almost squeezed completely together.”
Seventy-six people were treated for injuries, including two with life-threatening injuries, said Chief Dennis Rubin of Washington’s Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department. Two of the injured were emergency responders, Rubin said. See location of crash »
The crash happened just before 5 p.m. on an above-ground track on the Red Line in the District of Columbia near the border with Takoma Park, Maryland.
Both trains were on the same track, and one of them was stationary when the crash happened, said John Catoe, Metro general manager.Video Watch woman say she, fellow passengers “went flying” »
Video footage of the scene showed two cars of one train lying atop the cars of the other train. Emergency personnel carried injured passengers, some on stretchers, from the wreckage. Video Watch injured passengers limp from the scene »
“Metro officials do not know the cause of the collision and are not likely to know the cause for several days as the investigation unfolds,” a Metro statement said.
Fire department personnel cut through the trains to help people from the wreckage, officials said at a press briefing. Some three hours after the accident, fire department sources said rescue operations had ceased, with ongoing work focusing on recovery. Photo See pictures of crash site »
A survivor, Jodie Wickett, described feeling a bump on the track, and then being flung forward when the train suddenly halted a few seconds later. She said she hit her head, but managed to get out and go to where the collision occurred a few cars up, where one subway car lay atop another.
“There was debris, and people pinned under in-between the two cars,” Wickett said. “We were just trying to get them out and help them as much as possible, pulling back the metal.”
People were badly injured, she said. “Ones that could speak were calling back as we called out to them.”
One car was “about 75 percent compressed,” and recovery workers aren’t sure if any more bodies are inside, Fenty told CNN’s “Larry King Live” on Monday night.
“We just haven’t been able to cut through it to see if there’s bodies in there,” Fenty said.
A certified nursing assistant who was on one of the trains told CNN affiliate WUSA she was trying to help those in severe condition after the crash, including a lady who appeared to be in her 20s.
“She is very, very torn in her legs — the muscles and everything are torn, ripped through. She had metal pieces in her face,” said the nursing assistant, who said her name was Jeanie.
Other witnesses described seeing more blood than they had seen before.
Tom Baker, who was in the train that hit the stationary train, told WUSA that after the collision, he looked toward the front of the car, and when the smoke cleared, “all you could see was sky.”
Jasmine Gars, who also was on the moving train, told CNN’s “Larry King Live” that the collision “was like nothing I’ve ever felt before.”
“It was like we hit a concrete wall,” Gars said. “Almost immediately I fell off my seat. Another person — I don’t know who — flew off their seat. And the lights went off and smoke started filling the train car.”
Four people were taken to Providence Hospital in Washington, including two with back injuries, one with a hip injury and one complaining of dizziness from hitting her head, hospital officials said.
Washington Hospital Center reported seven patients from the crash with injuries ranging from serious to minor, while Howard University Hospital reported three and Suburban Hospital in Maryland reported two.
Groups of people wearing green plastic ribbons to show they had been checked by paramedics left the scene about 90 minutes after the crash. Some were crying, and a woman with her arm in a sling who gave her name as Tijuana described the crash as “an earthquake.”
The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash, NTSB spokeswoman Bridget Serchak said.
At least two FBI officials were at the scene, and the FBI confirmed it was assisting as part of the National Capital Response Squad.
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Amy Kudwa of the Department of Homeland Security said “at this early stage,” there was no indication of anything other than an accidental collision.
It was the second Metro crash to involve fatalities in the 33-year history of the transit authority. In January 1982, a derailment killed three people. The only other collision between Metro trains occurred in 2004.
“We are extremely saddened that there are fatalities as a result of this accident, which has touched our Metro family,” Catoe said in a statement.
“Our safety officials are investigating, and will continue to investigate until we determine why this happened and what must be done to ensure it never happens again.”
100th Post – Recap and usage statistics
I have passed the 100 blog post mark!
The post you are reading now is post # 101. For the 100 published post there are another 100 that never did get published. Since February of 2007 when I began tracking visitors I have had 12,400 different visitors. 737 of those visitors came to read about Free Starbucks Coffee on election day.
The top 10 Things or Keywords people came to my site looking for where:
- Chris Estes
- Free on Election Day
- Free Starbucks on Election Day
- GM Youtube
- free Starbucks election day
- fire tony franklin
- tony franklin fired
- estes.com
- christopher estes
- ken persel
My top 10 post where (by Traffic content):
- Metrolink Bans Text Messages – with 2,587 page views
- Free Starbucks Coffee on Election Day – with 1,548 page views
- Friendships or Contacts? – Social Media – with 908 page views
- Fire Tony Franklin – Auburn Offensive Coordinator – with 613 page views
- Sarah Palin’s Email Cracked – with 613 page views
*Note: I had some other mildy successful posting that did not get listed here.
The number one page that brought visitors directly to my blog was the Metrolink Bans Text Messages post being reffered to by StumbledUpon.
The top three countries my blog post were reffered from where:
- USA
- Canada
- United Kingdom
The top 5 Cities my blog was viewed from was:
- New York
- Washington DC
- Arlington
- Chicago
- Birmingham
Off all of my visitors:
81% use a Windows Based Computer and 2 visitors used the Nintendo Wii to view my site. (who would have guessed any hits from the Wii?) 53% look at my site with Mozilla Firefox. 5,413 visitors used cable internet while only 225 used dialup. People still have dial up?
It is always interesting to see the statistics about who comes to read my rantings. I wonder if people really enjoy my post. I have had 100 comments on all of my post combined. Though I would like my post to be thought provoking they1 seldomly sparks back and forth banter.
Regardless of the reaction I love to write the blog post. Stay tuned I hope to have another hundred.
Michelle Obama’s Walking Shoes cost $540
What do you think of First Lady Obama’s sporty new shoes?
Michelle Obama was caught sporting her new pair of casual tennis shoes with a hefty price tag of $540. I have never heard of the French Fashion company Lanvin – but can tell you $540 for a pair of dog walking shoes is expensive.
My New Balance 574’s usually do the trick for comfort and reliability. But if you really want a pair of shoes like First Lady Michelle Obama you can for a nice price tag.
Check out the NY Daily News article below or live on their site, here.
First Lady Michelle Obama steps out in Lanvin sneakers and they’re only $540!
BY Amy Diluna
DAILY NEWS FASHION EDITORFriday, May 1st 2009, 3:22 PM
They’re in poor taste. That’s way too much to spend on sneakers, especially in a recession.Michelle Obama has taken casual to a haute new level.
While volunteering Wednesday at a D.C. food bank, the First Lady sported her usual J.Crew cardigan, a pair of utilitarian capri pants and, on her feet, a sneaky splurge: trainers that go for $540.
That’s right: These sneakers – suede, with grosgrain ribbon laces and metallic pink toe caps – are made by French design house Lanvin, one of fashion’s hottest labels. They come in denim and satin versions, and have been a brisk seller all spring.
They’re out of stock at posh Meatpacking District boutique Jeffrey, and Barneys New York boasts a limited selection of the sneaks, which are a cult favorite among fashionistas.
It’s likely Michelle got hers through Ikram, the Chicago retailer that often outfits her.
“They’re shoes,” the First Lady’s reps sniffed when curious reporters inquired about the fancy footwear.
Michelle has stepped out in Lanvin before while getting down to business. A week ago, she shoveled dirt at a tree planting while wearing the line’s chiffon tank.
Dresses and strappy pumps cost upward of $1,500, while tops go for $400 to $1,000.
Other celebrity fans of Lanvin’s costly kicks include Ellen DeGeneres and Kanye West, who has blogged about his faves.
As the family’s primary dog walker, Michelle clearly requires comfortable footwear.
“I got up at 5:15 in the morning to walk my puppy,” she joked Thursday. “That’s how my day starts. Even though the kids are supposed to do a lot of the work, I’m still up at 5:15 a.m. taking my dog out.”
She’ll be trodding on New York’s sidewalks Tuesday for the first time as First Lady. Michelle will meet with staff at the U.S. mission to the United Nations. Later, she headlines Time magazine’s “100 most influential people” gala.
adiluna@nydailynews.com
With Kenneth R. Bazinet
Made In USA – Review Series
For the past few months you have inevitably heard the phrase “Buy American”. This isn’t a new phrase by any means, especially if you have been around me. It is almost a humorous statement usually followed by a smirk from most people. It is no mystery to anyone that has been around me long enough to know I get on my soap box when confronted with the question “how do you plan to solve it”. I’m not totally sure how to end it, in fact I don’t want to end it. Globalization at its finest created the US – sailors hitting the shores of North America searching for riches. What I do want to end is the displacement of American’s for manufacturing jobs overseas. In other words I don’t want an American to be out of work so that a product can be produced in another country.
This post isn’t about history or so much about social awareness of my fellow American’s as it is an introduction to a series of post I am writing about American Made goods I have bought and used over the past few months.
I plan to do a post about each of the products. I have no time-line for completion or number of post. As a disclaimer I have not been paid or even requested to do reviews of these products. So far I plan to do a review of:
- Work Boots
- T-shirts
- Jeans
- Socks
- Tools
You know the basic guy stuff. My inspiration comes from a fellow blogger Stephanie at On My Mind. Stephanie runs a website,dedicated to goods “Still Made in the USA.” Stephanie’s Why Care page states it well the reasons I care and what my intention of the post to come are about:
According to consumer polls, most Americans don’t know or care where products are made, and if asked will say only that they would buy American-made products if the cost were the same or nearly the same as the imported versions.
With our single-minded pursuit of low prices, we have attained unprecedented levels of material possessions, but what have we given up? The answers are all around us if we would but look. The more I read and listen, the more reasons I find to pay attention to where things are made.
The purpose of StillMadeinUSA.com [in my case the corresponding post] is not to stridently criticize, but to gently persuade. The decision to be an informed consumer must come from within. Below I suggest some reasons why consumers should care about looking for products that are made in the U.S.
Stay tuned for more info and post to come. Don’t forget you can sign up to recive post via e-mail.