NTSB: Brakes on Trolley Involved in SEPTA Derailment Disabled to Allow for Repairs
Written by Carolina Worrell, Senior Editor
The intersection of Island Avenue and Woodland Avenue in Philadelphia, where SEPTA trolley 9107 derailed on July 27 and struck an SUV and the Blue Bell Inn. (NTSB)
A preliminary report on the derailment of a Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) trolley issued on Aug. 21 by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has revealed that the brakes on trolley 9107, which, on July 27, derailed and struck an SUV and a restaurant, had been disabled on the day of the accident to allow for air compressor replacement.
On July 27, 2023, at around 10:18 p.m. local time, SEPTA trolley 9107 derailed at the intersection of Island Avenue and Woodland Avenue in Philadelphia, Pa., and struck an SUV carrying four people and the Blue Bell Inn, a restaurant housed in a circa-1743 building. A SEPTA maintenance technician was moving the trolley from the Elmwood maintenance facility to the adjoining yard for temporary storage.
According to NTSB’s preliminary report, as the maintenance technician operated trolley 9107 toward Island Avenue, he was unable to apply the air brakes and stop the trolley from moving downhill along Island Avenue. The maintenance technician jumped out of the trolley before the derailment and sustained minor injuries. Two of the occupants of the SUV also sustained minor injuries. The Blue Bell Inn was occupied by one resident, who was not injured.
Damage to the trolley, according to NTSB, was estimated at $500,000 while the Blue Bell Inn sustained an estimated $300,000 in damages.
According to the report, trolley 9107 was undergoing an air compressor replacement on the day of the accident at SEPTA’s Elmwood maintenance facility. The process spanned multiple shifts throughout the day and involved multiple maintenance personnel. As of part of this process, NTSB says, maintenance personnel “rendered the trolley’s air brakes inoperable to allow for the manual repositioning of the trolley within the facility.”
The maintenance technician told NTSB investigators that he had “no indication (such as a tag or note) that the trolley’s air brakes had been rendered inoperable.” The maintenance technician operated the trolley under its own power toward Island Avenue, but when he attempted to apply the air brakes, the trolley failed to stop, according to the report. The trolley continued the downhill grade along Island Avenue until it derailed at the intersection of Island Avenue and Woodland Avenue about 20 mph.
While on scene, NTSB investigators examined the accident location, equipment and track; completed interviews; tested the trolley’s brake system; and gathered records related to employee training and certification, as well as SEPTA policies and procedures.
NTSB says its investigation is ongoing and future investigative activity will “focus on SEPTA’s trolley repair and maintenance practices, including pre-movement procedures for maintenance personnel, as well as maintenance personnel training and supervision, and railroad oversight.”
Parties to the investigation include the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and the Transport Workers Union of Philadelphia Local 234.
