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NTSB issues safety alert to subways, rail over wheel defect

Subway systems and commuter railroads were alerted by the NTSB of a wheelset issue causing a derailment.

WASHINGTON D.C., DC — Author's Note: The above video is on file from July 27, 2019.

The National Transportation Safety Board has issued a safety alert to subway systems and commuter railroads over a wheelset problem that led to a derailment in the nation's capital in October. 

The agency says the defect can be easily missed without careful inspection and that a derailment "could be catastrophic." 

The NTSB released a preliminary report of its ongoing probe into the accident involving the Washington subway system. 

The NTSB is urging transit agencies to comply with a recent federal directive to conduct detailed inspections for misaligned wheels. The bulk of Washington's Metro fleet has been suspended from service since mid-October after a train car slipped off the tracks.

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