A question for New York City dwellers....

[Demoiselle]

What's the safety record of the NYC subway system? I know it's been around for a very long long time, but I can't remember any news of train accidents.
(I'm talking train collisions/derailments, not people falling off platforms.)
...Yet the Washington system has only been in existence for 30 years, and they've had at least two very bad accidents with multiple deaths.
Anybody got any facts?

[Chan790]

1. Edit: This unofficial list is long, but most are very minor.

http://www.nycsubway.org/faq/accidents.html

edit: It's not an official list.

[Demoiselle]

5. Pretty good record, actually.

... Considering the size and complicated nature of the system and intensity of its use.
I wonder if the new trains....like the Washington trains...go a whole lot faster or something or depend on much more automation?
Thanks for the info!

[leftynyc]

2. I take it every work day

and have for last 18 years and don't remember an accident that killed anyone. I sorta remember a derailment but maybe it was an empty train.

[Chan790]

3. The last one I found in my search was 1991.

08/28/1991 Five people are killed and more than 200 injured when a southbound No. 4 train derails going over a switch just north of Union Square. Service on the Lexington Avenue IRT, was disrupted for six days as transit workers toiled around the clock to clean up the wreckage. The motorman, Robert Ray, who was drunk and going more than 40 mph where the speed limit was 10 mph, is later convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 15 years in prison. It was the worst subway accident in 63 years. (Photo courtesy New York City Transit)
http://www.nycsubway.org/faq/accidents.html

[BurtWorm]

6. That's the one I remember.

It was horrific, sort of like the Staten Island Ferry accident of a few years ago.

[leftynyc]

7. Whoa - I do remember that

Since that's the only line on the east side of the city, it messed up the commuters badly. Until the beginning of 1992, I was walking to work from Grand Central. Still, it seems like a very good record for a system that's so old.

[closeupready]

8. I also remember that. In the aftermath, maximum speeds were lowered.

That's why some old-timers complain that the subway moves too slow.

[Stephanie]

4. Village Voice:

http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/archives/2009/06/dc_metro_crash.php

The New York City Subway is not as padded nor as quiet as the D.C. Metro, but it's been about 12 years since we've had a collision of trains in service, and 18 years since we've have a passenger fatality. At least two people are reported killed by a collision on the Metro's Red Line during this evening's rush hour between the Takoma Park and Fort Totten stations. We are also hearing there are at least 55 injuries and climbing, and people still trapped in the cars. The Red Line is shut for the night. Here's another twitpic of the wreckage.