WASHINGTON — Insufficient track protection for a maintenance project along the right-of-way was the probable cause for an accident that saw a worker struck by a Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority train in an Oct. 19, 2024, incident, the National Transportation Safety Board said in an investigation report released today (Feb. 4, 2026).
The employee suffered a below-the-knee amputation while working on a curved bridge between the Arts Center and Lindbergh Center stations. The worker was part of a crew repairing wayside train approach lights, flashing lights spaced every 50 feet that are used to warn workers of approaching trains in areas where they would not have line-of-sight visibility.
During the repair work, however, this function was overridden to make the lights flash so workers could determine which bulbs needed to be replaced. While this work was going on, trains had to receive clearance to pass through the area, but could pass through the area at maximum speed. A dedicated lookout is required to maintain a location providing ample line of sight for approaching trains while using a whistle or air horn to notify workers…