Collision on the rails in Norwood

The MBTA, Keolis, the Norwood Fire Department (NFD) and the Norwood Police Department (NPD) all reported a crash on the Franklin MBTA Commuter Rail Line on the morning of November 2.

According to a Keolis spokesperson, two rail construction vehicles collided close to the Westwood border at about 150 Hill St.

“Trains on the Franklin / Foxboro Line experienced delays this morning after construction vehicles performing track work in Norwood made contact at a low speed on the right of way,” the spokesperson wrote. “Six Keolis crew members reported minor injuries. No train or passengers were involved, and a full investigation will be completed.”

The NFD reported getting the injured workers out as quickly as possible.

“Upon arrival, initial crews encountered multiple injured workers and immediately began assessing patients, requesting additional resources, and coordinating the movement of emergency personnel and apparatus into the area,” the NFD reported. “Crews worked to access, evaluate, and safely remove the injured workers from the railroad tracks while coordinating medical treatment and transportation. In total, six workers were transported to area hospitals.”

The NFD also reported receiving mutual aid from the Sharon, Walpole, Westwood, Canton and Dedham Fire Departments.

Resident of 150 Chapel St. Mark French said he was first alerted to the incident when the emergency service personnel arrived.

“I was out on my front lawn and I saw the emergency vehicles, so I came out and saw them take three guys out on stretchers,” he said. “I was worried about all three, but the first guy he was moving and talking with the EMT. I didn’t see the second guy move, and the third guy was sitting up talking.

The site of the accident is in a low elevation defined by a deep trench with very steep embankments. French said the working crews from the MBTA and Keolis came out with saws to gain access to the rail right-of-way, as it is blocked by a fence.

“They asked for a rake, they cut a few of the saplings and opened up the fence,” he said. “It was the first thing I saw.”

Once they had cleared the fence, French said they also provided a bit of free landscaping, though it wasn’t perfect.

“They threw all the sticks into my bush, which wasn’t great,” he said with a laugh.

The rake appeared to be used to clear the steep embankment of leaves so that EMTs and emergency personnel could get down to the tracks without slipping and falling.

French said the crews had been working out here for a week, replacing railroad ties. He said he went out earlier to take a look at the process, which uses the half-a-dozen or so rail machines working through an assembly-line-like process to lift up the rails a bit, take out the large wooden ties, put in the new ties, and then fill back in the disturbed ballast (jagged rocks). He said he’s seen it before, and that it happens every few years.

He said he’s also seen accidents and issues here before, when a different incident took place a few years ago. But he said he felt the emergency services and the rail crew were professional and helpful.

“It’s scary, you don’t want to see anybody hurt in the process. That’s why they say ‘safety first’, but nobody seems to adhere to it until someone gets hurt,” he said. “But everybody was calm and professional. They had a good process and gained access fairly quickly.”

Keolis said the incident is still under investigation by the MBTA Police.