On Tuesday evening, a driver managed to drive their car on the light rail tracks from MLK Way & Walden St to Mount Baker station. The 70-year-old driver was not injured but was taken to the hospital as a precaution. 1 Line trains were replaced with shuttle buses between SODO and Othello station while Sound Transit crews removed the vehicle from the tracks.
What Happened?
The official investigation is still underway, but I spoke with a few witnesses about what they saw. Each person had a similar story: the driver entered the southbound track at the at-grade intersection of MLK Way and Walden St. Once on the track, she accelerated quickly while traveling north. The first 270 feet of track north of the intersection are embedded in concrete, so the car can drive on the tracks without issue. After those 270ft, the track switches to be mounted on plinths. This leaves a deep gap between the tracks that should stop vehicles from continuing up the ramp to the elevated station. One witness mentioned a loud screeching sound when the car was on this section of the track, so the part of car was likely dragging on the tracks. Despite this, the driver navigated an additional 1,200ft of track before stopping at the southbound platform. Video from the platform at Mount Baker show the car driving surprisingly well on the tracks.
