Metro Can't Get Out Of Its Own Way, Apparently

Paul Knight | February 8, 2010 | 5:27pm

Photos by Paul Knight

In a bizarre incident, a Metro rail and Metro bus collided in front of Metro's headquarters in downtown. The bus driver ran a red light causing the wreck, but an investigation will ensue, according to Metro spokeswoman Raequel Roberts.

The wreck happened a little more than an hour ago, at the intersection of Main and St. Joseph streets, causing the train to derail and ripping a huge hole in the side of the bus. The bus was traveling west on St. Joseph; the rail was moving north on Main.

Raquel Roberts, a spokeswoman for Metro, was at the crash site -- basically outside her office -- and told Hair Balls that there were only two injuries -- the bus driver and a woman on the train -- and neither of the injuries were life-threatening. Paramedics were examining plenty of other passengers at the scene, however, and several were put on stretchers and placed in ambulances.

The bus was in good enough condition, albeit missing a chunk of its body, to drive away from the crash. Tow trucks and utility crews were working to move the mangled rail car from the street and clean up debris.

Roberts expected the site to be clear shortly after 5 o'clock this evening.

Passengers poured off other rail cars not involved in the crash but stopped at the site, and they were directed several blocks away to a shuttle that would take them to the next available bus or rail.

Metro announced after the crash that a single train would continue to run from the Downtown Transit Center to the Fannin South stop, just south of Reliant Stadium. A bus is taking passengers from the transit center north to the University of Houston-Downtown.