By Samantha McGirr
The Public Press
The passenger-injury rate on light-rail trains in San Francisco has steadily increased since 2003, according to data provided by the Federal Transit Administration.
In 2003, accidents involving SF Municipal Railway trains injured 21 people, a number that grew to 70 passengers by 2008. A weekend crash that injured 48 people brings the 2009 total to 68 passengers.
The accident occurred when a westbound train smashed into another train parked at West Portal Station Saturday. It is believed that the operator of the train blacked out before the crash after shifting his train from automatic to manual control.
The last time a passenger died on an SF Municipal Railway train was 2000, although there have been eight pedestrian deaths attributed to cable cars and light-rail trains since 2006.
