Update on partial train derailment between Pleasant Hill and Concord

Updated 7/8/22:

During its review of the partial derailment that happened in June between the Pleasant Hill/Contra Costa Centre and Concord stations, BART has identified and implemented additional measures for early detection and limitation of potential impacts from sharp rises in ambient temperatures in the areas served by BART.

*As BART is able to identify sections of track that are particularly susceptible to heat-related impacts, it will reduce the threshold temperature to apply speed restrictions for trains in those areas when temperatures are forecast to exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
*Research and utilize technology solutions to augment track inspections during excessive heat events.

BART’s review indicates a rapid increase in ambient temperatures caused the rail to misalign.

Updated 6/23, 7:30pm: BART on Friday plans to reopen the track between Pleasant Hill and Concord that was damaged by Tuesday night’s partial derailment. Trains will run at reduced speeds through the area. This reopening means a return to two-track service instead of the single tracking of the past two days. Riders should anticipate minor delays due to the trains running at reduced speed.

Updated 6/22, 6pm: Riders should anticipate the continuation of single-track service between the Pleasant Hill and Concord stations Thursday. BART crews will continue working overnight on repairs to the rail that was damaged by Tuesday night’s partial derailment. Riders should add 5-15 minutes to their trips through the area.

The rest of the Yellow Line from Antioch to SFO will have normal service. There’s no estimate yet on when repairs will be complete.

Updated 6/22, 7:50am: BART is offering single track service between the Pleasant Hill and Concord stations in both the Antioch and SFO directions due to the partial derailment of one of our trains. About 70 BART employees worked throughout the night to help clear the scene and allow us to run trains on a single track through the incident area beginning with this morning’s commute. It’s anticipated that we will continue to run service reduced from two tracks to one throughout the rest of the day.

The partial derailment happened at approximately 5:30 pm on Tuesday, June 21. It involved the two trail cars on an SFO-bound train. 50 riders were safely removed from the train and trackway. No major injuries were reported but one person was taken to a hospital complaining of back pain.

Our initial assessment is that heat played the main role in the partial derailment by causing a curve in the rail.