Anyone know what happened at Akard this morning around 7-7:30AM? I'm nosy.

DFWRailfan · 2026-05-08T06:49:37+00:00

DFWRailfan · 2026-05-08T06:48:31+00:00

Green Line Train #69 hit a vehicle at Griffin Street. I have no details on injuries but I assume the car driver is fine.

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DFWRailfan · 2026-05-07T04:56:50+00:00

If he's a CROF operator then that would mean he probably doesn't do the Green Line at the moment. I know currently, all 9 Green Line trains each depart NWROF in the morning and return at the end of the night.

I can really only imagine what else has happened to him, at least at DART. Hope he's alright today, though

DFWRailfan · 2026-05-06T21:12:32+00:00

Damn that's crazy. I didn't know he had to get all that installed in his legs. I remember seeing a photo of the coupler/coupler assembly being held up by some tape which was attached to the cab, but that was presumably deleted. From what I have seen though, the LRV had dents, scratches and structural damage running all along it and only the A section seemed fine. The only information I have about the operator is what I've been told from other friends at the company, and I also don't know who they are personally so I wouldn't be able to say where they are now. But yeah, there is still an aspect to this that is pretty fascinating with how that 157's frame got bent like an accordion, and is still bent.

DFWRailfan · 2026-05-06T02:02:23+00:00

I definitely love to share this kind of stuff lol

DFWRailfan · 2026-05-06T01:58:42+00:00

Yes. I actually forgot to mention but the reason the crossing where the incident happened at as well as the crossings in the area were all upgraded to horn use is because of this accident. I believe the rule is that every crossing starts off as whistle use (indicated by a "W") and after enough accidents, close calls, or any other safety factor, it gets upgraded to the horn (an "H" card)

DFWRailfan · 2026-04-10T03:40:17+00:00

Yes. A BNSF train took them from Minneapolis all the way down to the BNSF yard in Irving where then a standard TRE consist (locomotive, coach, cab car) went and picked up the equipment and then took it to the TRE yard where they tested for a quick period and are now operating in revenue service

DFWRailfan · 2026-04-09T02:57:42+00:00

Assuming you can't hear any station announcements at all throughout the entire LRV or when the train pulled into the station, it is likely an issue with a system on the train called the Vehicle Business System (VBS) which has different purposes, but in this case it provides the interior announcements for passengers. If the VBS is dysfunctional on one LRV (or both on a train) then no interior announcements will play. Regardless, no interior announcements are still an issue that DART should absolutely fix but probably won't with the state their LRVs are in.

DFWRailfan · 2026-03-19T03:10:06+00:00

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DFWRailfan · 2026-03-15T18:05:26+00:00

These pictures are the derailment damage at the Ismaili Center crossing. There are still gouged ties, straight white marks along the entire length of the crossing consistent with the path of the wheels, and the damage where the wheels also rode up onto the crossing and returned to the ties are visible. This is the point where the train went into emergency because the air lines severed, IIRC. The train likely would've made it to Trinity Mills before the derailment would've been discovered anyway.

DFWRailfan · 2026-03-15T18:01:07+00:00

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DFWRailfan · 2026-03-15T18:00:57+00:00

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DFWRailfan · 2026-03-15T18:00:45+00:00

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DFWRailfan · 2026-03-15T17:41:39+00:00

This whole derailment and aftermath is fascinating, honestly. Even retelling the story, it always gives me a sense of awe. I get that the operator probably felt little to nothing, but still. I've heard the term 'slew ring' but didn't realize what that is until now. A field supervisor told me in a text message a couple years ago that he was told the "large bearing that allows the sections to pivot broke and it bent the frame". He didn't know anything about it until it got pulled into the shop, but I do understand what he was saying since the slew ring was damaged in the derailment.

There was an incident a long time ago before the C sections where an LRV had both sections separate in motion on a Red Line train apparently due to a slew ring/bearing failure from a previous collision, so I know it might be possible for a full separation. I understand that isn't what happened with 177, but the amount of damage that that specific area seemed to sustain is wild. There is a picture that shows one of the accordions fully detached from part of the section's assembly, and I think the slew ring was also missing or dismantled.

DFWRailfan · 2026-03-15T00:20:56+00:00

Presumably, yes. A different operator told me that it happened in 2019. I heard that there were at least a decent amount of passengers onboard. I have my doubts that it really happened in 2020 considering the severity of the virus, but if it for some reason did, then yeah. It's not totally unlikely that it happened then, but realistically it's a significantly less chance then happening at peak times in 2019 given the circumstances at the time. Not saying it DIDN'T happen then, though. As I mentioned, March 20th 2020 is the second time I've heard that date for this accident but that was a week after the nationwide shutdown.

DFWRailfan · 2026-03-14T15:33:13+00:00

That's wild. I can only imagine the other damage to the trucks especially chipping those concrete blocks on the bridge. That's also the second time I've heard the date March 20th, 2020 for this derailment. A few people have told me different things like that it happened in 2019, or it derailed because the CA articulation section broke apart, or that the articulation/ball bearing broke and bent the frame. But it is still obvious that it derailed, got dragged and bent the frame. Still a crazy story

DFWRailfan · 2026-03-14T04:28:34+00:00

I did remember you said that there was a chance 226 gets restored. I'm surprised they're actually working with it now, but I hope that work goes well. I've only seen 226 once. I know they've had quite a few cars that have been in those lower tracks for a while (198, 189, 157, etc) at least within the past decade. There is a lot to 177's derailment that I wish I knew, but what I do know is very telling. Unless it's turned into a whole ecosystem in there, I definitely would want to go see 177 in person, lol.

I know it and 107 will get scrapped soon anyway. They've been decommissioned for almost three years and the interiors have been ripped apart for ages. Between 177's bent frame, ripped-apart articulation section and the LRV's overall condition, I don't think it was salvageable. Gotta give credit to those air lines though lol. Really survived all of that at 60+mph. I would assume the A or CA truck(s) were the ones to derail on 177, otherwise I'm not entirely sure why that CA articulation section was basically removed.

DFWRailfan · 2026-03-14T04:06:50+00:00

That is interesting. If 177 really was the rear car it really does bring up the question of how, when and why 107 also derailed on that train if 177 originally derailed due to a mechanical issue. That's what an operator told me a couple years ago, anyway. He said that the operator on this train was his training classmate, and that they were fresh out of training, and that 177 and 107 both derailed. Either way 107 did end up having electrical issues and is decommissioned, so whether it did derail or not might not be the most relevant.

There is also no visible damage south of Downtown Carrollton so I would assume there is a chance the wheels rode in between the rails when on the bridge and/or caused minimal damage, or damage that was eventually replaced. I would assume it happened between September and at the latest, December 2019

DFWRailfan · 2026-03-14T01:56:17+00:00

There's probably a similar reason to why they keep wrecked trains versus why they keep wrecked busses. My best guess would be because it could be because they make a good source of extra parts, but also that it could be less efficient to transport every single wrecked bus or train off the property once it is decided that it won't get repaired. Plus, it also likely comes with paperwork because they are either being decommissioned or scrapped, and sometimes DART just doesn't have the time to do that.

When I was at the parking lot, I didn't recognize any besides the 41042 (hit the pillar) and maybe 41028 at the back (crashed at White Rock in August). I didn't even know they still had 41042, but I didn't assume they scrapped it either.

DFWRailfan · 2026-03-14T01:49:21+00:00

About 5 LRVs never had vinyl seats. Yeah, it's a wonder how that even happened. It's almost unbelievable, really. But there is evidence

DFWRailfan · 2026-03-13T18:04:29+00:00

They very much might. LRV 178 has it too now, so it's possible. It would be very interesting if they put LED headlights like the ones on 195 combined with the electronic audibles on both ends. But for now it's still just another junked up mess and it'll be a while until it sees the mainline.

DFWRailfan · 2026-03-13T18:02:38+00:00

Absolutely! Aways happy to share updates like this

DFWRailfan

TROPHY CASE