In 2011, the MBTA moved from two operators to a single conductor per Red Line train – following the Orange and Blue lines in earlier years, officials said.
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The six-car train pulled out of Braintree station shortly after 6am and continued on for nine minutes and through four stops until MBTA crews cut power to the rail line. State officials said the MBTA’s operations control center knew the train was driverless within 60 seconds of departure but had to wait until the tracks ahead were clear of other trains to shut the power off on the third rail.
One Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority worker, a 51-year-old train operator, suffered minor injuries when he was clipped by the train at Braintree Station, the Boston Globe reports.
Meanwhile, FBI officials in Boston said they’re aware of the incident and are letting MBTA transit police investigate “at this moment”.
The entire train set was impounded and will remain impounded for the investigation, said Pollack, who said the MBTA, Transit Police, MBTA outside safety overseer the Department of Public Utilities and the Federal Transit Administration will meet Friday morning.
Pollack said an investigation is under way to determine if the driver failed to properly secured brakes before exiting the train.
The Red Line train was taken to the MBTA’s Cabot Yard’s facility and will remain impounded during the investigation.
Approximately 50 passengers were on the train, which rolled through four different stations without stopping.
He said he believes it was an isolated incident.
A passenger who was on the train told WBZ-TV’s Beth Germano that “when the lights went out and train stopped” people looked in the booth and did not see a conductor.
“We were trying to open the doors and we couldn’t, and we were trying to press the button to the emergency room and nobody heard”.
According to Daly, passengers on the train had no idea what was going on during the situation.
Pesaturo said an initial examination showed no problems with the “functionality” of the train’s equipment. According to CBS News, though, operator error is the primary potential cause that officials are looking into.
Pollack said the operator felt there was a “signal issue” and asked for permission to put the train into “bypass mode”, which allows the train to depart the station.
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“Part of the investigation will be to understand whether that occurred”, she said.
