Trains cleared from track after collision; normal service resumed

Two BART trains whose lead cars derailed after a low-speed collision Tuesday in Oakland were removed from the tracks early Wednesday and service was back on schedule for the morning commute.

The collision occurred just before 3 p.m. on Tuesday in the underground intersection near the Oakland City Center/12th Street Station. Around 300 passengers were evacuated from the trains; there were reports of nine to 12 passengers with minor injuries.

Because there are multiple trackways in the area, other trains were able to be rerouted around the collision site during the incident. However, there were scattered delays throughout the system Tuesday evening.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the collision. One train was reported to be on automatic control at the time of the incident, while the other was being controlled manually by a train operator. The operators of both trains underwent the routine drug and alcohol tests that are standard procedure after such an incident, according to BART Chief Spokesperson Linton Johnson.

In addition to BART, the National Transportation Safety Board, CalOSHA and the state Public Utilities Commission are also investigating. It typically takes at least several months and sometimes more than a year for final reports when multiple state and national agencies are involved in an incident investigation.

Johnson said Tuesday's incident was one of only two train collisions with passengers involved in BART's 36-year history. The other, at Fremont Station on Dec. 18, 2008, was a low-speed incident with two minor injuries.