Lutherville (Baltimore Light Rail station)
Encyclopedia
The Lutherville Light Rail Stop is one of 33 stops on the Baltimore Light Rail
, and is a hub
for bus routes 8 and 9. The station, which is located at a dead end
at the west end of Ridgely Road, has 286 spaces for commuters. Prior to the opening of the light rail in 1992, the parking lot was known as the Lutherville Park-and-Ride. Before this, the line was used by the former Northern Central Railway
, which contained a station in Lutherville. Route 11 buses ran from this location to downtown Baltimore
, and were discontinued one month after the light rail first opened in favor of their operation to Towson
and the extension of Route 8 buses to Lutherville.
video captured the train striking the boys. It is believed that they were killed while walking on the opposing tracks, assuming they would see oncoming trains, but they were unaware trains in both directions were temporarily operating on the same track. The operator of the train denied being aware of having hit the boys, and a subsequent investigation was launched by law enforcement agencies to determine if the operator was using a cell phone or texting
. A small, impromptu memorial to the two boys was set up at the station by relatives in the days following the incident.
In December 2009, MTA announced that it would be firing two operators and disciplining six other employees as a result of the crash and the fallout the followed. They stated that it was unclear whether better following these procedures would have saved the boys' lives.
No criminal charges were filed against the operators. A financial settlement was made to the parents of the victims.
MTA instituted new regulations as a result of the crash pertaining to trespassing on light rail tracks. These include strictly enforcing the existing trespassing laws, alerting police immediately if someone is spotted on or near the light rail tracks, and enforcing speed regulations on trains until the trespasser is removed.
Baltimore Light Rail
The Maryland Transit Administration Light Rail is a light rail system serving Baltimore, Maryland, United States, and the surrounding suburbs.In downtown Baltimore it uses city streets...
, and is a hub
Transportation hub
A transport hub is a place where passengers and cargo are exchanged between vehicles or between transport modes. Public transport hubs include train stations, rapid transit stations, bus stops, tram stop, airports and ferry slips. Freight hubs include classification yards, seaports and truck...
for bus routes 8 and 9. The station, which is located at a dead end
Dead End
Dead End is a 1937 crime drama film. It is an adaptation of the Sidney Kingsley 1935 Broadway play of the same name. It stars Humphrey Bogart, Joel McCrea, and Sylvia Sidney...
at the west end of Ridgely Road, has 286 spaces for commuters. Prior to the opening of the light rail in 1992, the parking lot was known as the Lutherville Park-and-Ride. Before this, the line was used by the former Northern Central Railway
Northern Central Railway
The Northern Central Railway was a Class I Railroad connecting Baltimore, Maryland with Sunbury, Pennsylvania. Completed in 1858, the line came under the control of the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1861, when the PRR acquired a controlling interest in the Northern Central's stock to compete with the...
, which contained a station in Lutherville. Route 11 buses ran from this location to downtown Baltimore
Downtown Baltimore
Downtown Baltimore is the section of Baltimore traditionally bounded by Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard to the west, Mt. Royal Avenue to the north, President Street to the east and the Inner Harbor area to the south. It consists of four neighborhoods: Westside, City Centre, Inner Harbor, and...
, and were discontinued one month after the light rail first opened in favor of their operation to Towson
Towson
-Places:In the United States:*Towson, Maryland, an unincorporated community in Maryland**Towson Center, an arena in Towson, Maryland**Towson Town Center, a shopping mall in Towson, Maryland*Fort Towson, Oklahoma, a community in Oklahoma...
and the extension of Route 8 buses to Lutherville.
July 2009 accident
On July 5, 2009, the bodies of two teenage boys were discovered by a fare enforcement officer on the tracks near the Lutherville station. MTA considered the deaths accidental. The accident was not reported by the driver of any train, but surveillanceSurveillance
Surveillance is the monitoring of the behavior, activities, or other changing information, usually of people. It is sometimes done in a surreptitious manner...
video captured the train striking the boys. It is believed that they were killed while walking on the opposing tracks, assuming they would see oncoming trains, but they were unaware trains in both directions were temporarily operating on the same track. The operator of the train denied being aware of having hit the boys, and a subsequent investigation was launched by law enforcement agencies to determine if the operator was using a cell phone or texting
Texting while driving
Texting while driving is the act of composing, sending, reading text messages, email, or making other similar use of the web on a mobile phone while operating a motor vehicle. The practice has been viewed by many people and authorities as dangerous. It has also been ruled as the cause of some motor...
. A small, impromptu memorial to the two boys was set up at the station by relatives in the days following the incident.
In December 2009, MTA announced that it would be firing two operators and disciplining six other employees as a result of the crash and the fallout the followed. They stated that it was unclear whether better following these procedures would have saved the boys' lives.
No criminal charges were filed against the operators. A financial settlement was made to the parents of the victims.
MTA instituted new regulations as a result of the crash pertaining to trespassing on light rail tracks. These include strictly enforcing the existing trespassing laws, alerting police immediately if someone is spotted on or near the light rail tracks, and enforcing speed regulations on trains until the trespasser is removed.