Crash of Two Subway Trains on the Williamsburg Bridge - New York City, NY » Description of the Crash

At approximately 0612 hours, Monday, June 5, 1995, the Manhattan-bound 0531-J train collided with the Manhattan-bound 0548-M train, which was stopped for a red signal on the J2 track, about 16 feet south of signal 125 at the east end of the Williamsburg Bridge (see Figure 1 for a map detailing the crash location). The collision occurred between the Brooklyn east tower and the Brooklyn anchorage (structural elements of the bridge). The M tram was partly over land and partly over water, and the J train was over land. National Atmospheric and Oceanographic Administration maps indicate that there is a clearance of approximately 133 feet from the bottom of the bridge to the mean high water mark below the where the M train had stopped.

The subway tracks occupy the center area of the bridge flanked by the east- and westbound roadways. To the north and the south of the subway tracks, and about six feet above them, two pedestrian walkways with wood plank decks each cover one of the vehicle roadways that are 15 to 20 feet lower than the tracks.

At the time of the crash, the area of the bridge above and adjacent to the trackbed was undergoing structural repairs. Due to the construction, the south pedestrian walkway was closed and its planking had been removed; the north walkway was open for pedestrian traffic. The bridge repairs did not interfere with subway operations, but as shall be described later in this report, the presence of bridge workers and construction materials played a helpful role in the rescue operations.

The front of the J train struck and penetrated the stopped M train, resulting in a combined crush of about 14 feet. No derailment or fire occurred as a result of the crash, but there was extensive damage to the lead car of the J train (#4461) and the last car of the M train (#4664). The motorman of the J train was killed instantly and entrapped in the crushed wreckage of his motorman’s cab. Sixty-three passengers and the J train conductor were injured in thecollision (two police officers received minor injuries during the ensuing rescue).

The J train consisted of eight R40-type subway cars. The M train consisted of eight R42- type subway cars. Each of these cars has a capacity of 44 seated passengers and approximately 225 standing passengers.

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