Lutherville (Baltimore Light Rail station)

Lutherville
Baltimore Light Rail station

Southbound train arriving in August, 2009
Location 150 Ridgely Road West
Lutherville, MD 21093
Coordinates 39°25′45″N 76°37′38″W / 39.429133°N 76.62718°W / 39.429133; -76.62718Coordinates: 39°25′45″N 76°37′38″W / 39.429133°N 76.62718°W / 39.429133; -76.62718
Owned by Maryland Transit Administration
Line(s)
  Light Rail
Hunt Valley – BWI Marshall
  Light Rail
Hunt Valley – Cromwell
Platforms 2 side platforms
Tracks 2
Connections 8, 9
Construction
Parking 329 free spaces
Bicycle facilities Yes
Disabled access Yes
History
Opened 1992
Services
Preceding station   MTA Maryland   Following station
Light Rail
Hunt Valley – BWI Marshall
toward Hunt Valley
Light Rail
Hunt Valley – Cromwell

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.[1] 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.

Layout

Side platform, doors open on right
← Southbound toward BWI Airport. Next stop: Falls Road.
← Southbound toward Cromwell/Glen Burnie. Next stop: Falls Road.
Northbound toward Hunt Valley. Next stop: Timonium Business Park →
Side platform, doors open on left

Nearby places and attractions

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.[2] MTA considered the deaths accidental.[3] The accident was not reported by the driver of any train, but surveillance video captured the train striking the boys.[4] 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.[5] 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.[6] 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.[7][8]

No criminal charges were filed against the operators.[9] A financial settlement was made to the parents of the victims.[8]

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.[7][8]

References

  1. ↑ "Light Rail Parking". Maryland Transit Administration. Archived from the original on 2009-04-18.
  2. ↑ "2 People Struck by Light Rail Train". WMAR-TV. July 2009.
  3. ↑ Dresser, Michael (2009-07-08). "Teens' Deaths On Light Rail Called Accident By Mta". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2012-02-22.
  4. ↑ Bubala, Mary (2009-07-09). "MTA Confirm Timeline Of Light Rail Accident". WJZ-TV. Archived from the original on 2009-0-18. Check date values in: |archive-date= (help)
  5. ↑ "Losses in Lutherville - Our View: A Light Rail Accident in Lutherville Takes Two Teenagers' Lives, Raising Questions about Unusual Circumstances and Employee (In)Actions". The Baltimore Sun. 2009-07-09. Retrieved 2012-02-22.
  6. ↑ "Light Rail Death Investigation Centers On Driver". WBAL-TV. 2009-07-08. Archived from the original on 2012-02-18.
  7. 1 2 Madigan, Nick (2009-12-19). "MTA to Fire Two in Deadly Accident - Train Operators to Lose Jobs, Others Face Discipline Teens on Light Rail Track Hit in July". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2012-02-22.
  8. 1 2 3 "Lutherville light rail". WJZ-TV.
  9. ↑ "Teens' Families 'Disappointed' No Charges Filed In Light Rail Deaths". WBAL (AM). 2009-08-08. Retrieved 2012-02-22.
The former Lutherville NCR Station nearby.
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