Detroit People Mover Offering Free Rides After Derailment
DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - The Detroit People Mover resumed full service Friday with free rides — one day after a derailment sent dozens of passengers scrambling to escape and shut down the 2.9-mile downtown elevated rail service.
The fourth and final two-car train began picking up passengers by early evening, the city said in a news release. Officials say shorter wait times are expected for the remainder of the service day, which ends at 2 a.m.
No injuries were reported after a People Mover car jumped the rail at around 10:10 p.m. Thursday and hit a platform at the Times Square Station, located near the Rosa Parks Transit Center.
Angelica Martin of Roseville was among the passengers and told MLive.com that people quickly got out of two cars after the derailment.
"It felt like a bump initially," Martin said. "And then everyone kind of screamed ... then I felt a second bump and the second bump felt even more like the People Mover was going to derail. Then people started to scream again."
About 30 people got off the train Thursday night, mayoral spokesman John Roach said.
On Friday, the city released security video (above) which officials say "clearly shows that passengers were able to exit the train in a calm and orderly manner and no injuries were reported."
Detroit Transportation Corp. said the rear car of the train "experienced a component failure causing that vehicle to move out of alignment" before the derailment.
The entire People Mover system was shut down overnight, and officials said a visual inspection of the track was conducted in the morning determined it to be sound. The vehicle involved in the incident was removed from service.
Friday morning, the system remained closed as People Mover cars were being individually inspected; and the first of four two-car trains began picking up passengers about 3:30 p.m. Friday.
The derailment came ahead of the final weekend of the North American International Auto Show at Cobo Center. Thousands of people visit the annual event each day it's held and some rely on the People Mover for transportation around downtown.
Buses were made available to shuttle People Mover riders from station to station along the route.
"The safe transportation of People Mover patrons is our primary objective and we are very pleased that all of the protocols were observed and there were no injuries," said Ericka Alexander, spokesperson for Detroit transportation Corporation.
An investigation of the derailment is ongoing.
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