Mecklenburg commissioner wants probe into ‘systemic failure,’ Charlotte train derailment

A Mecklenburg County commissioner wants an independent investigation into a Charlotte train derailment that wasn’t disclosed to the public for 10 months.

In an email to her fellow Metropolitan Transit Committee members and Charlotte City Council, at-large commissioner Leigh Altman said she plans to make a motion during Wednesday’s MTC meeting for the group to select a third-party transit consultant to investigate the derailment.

“We must also understand organizationally how it is even possible a systemic failure of this scope could occur in the first place,” Altman said in the email. “Without understanding how mismanagement at this level was possible, we will have not taken the necessary steps to protect the public from future failures.”

Last week, interim Charlotte Area Transit System CEO Brent Cagle revealed to the Charlotte City Council a Blue Line train derailed in May 2022 due to a faulty axle bearing. To fix the issue, Cagle said CATS is working with rail company Siemens Mobility to expedite repairs on each train, which is still expected to take several years. The city will foot the bill because the parts are no longer covered under a warranty.

City Manager Marcus Jones did not know about the derailment until after Cagle was informed several weeks ago, a city spokesman told The Charlotte Observer.

Jarrett Hurms, co-chair of the Transit Services Advisory Committee and nonvoting MTC member is scheduled to present a committee report to the MTC Wednesday. He told the Observer he plans to verbally support Altman’s motion.

CATS discloses two other derailments

But the derailment with passengers was not the only one. There were three derailments in 2022, CATS spokesman Brandon Hunter said. The one on May 21, 2022 happened on the main track and had 24 passengers on board.

The other two derailments happened within the rail yard with no riders on board on Sept. 21 and Oct. 17.

The light rail vehicles are inspected daily and regular inspections leading up to the derailment showed no issues with the bearings, Hunter said.

That contrasts with messages from the North Carolina Department of Transportation made public by WFAE, which say “delayed maintenance... directly contributed to the derailment” in May.

“Although the CEO who was in charge at the time is no longer with CATS, he was not the only person who had knowledge of the failure to adhere to these maintenance obligations,” Altman said in the email. “Where were those people in raising their concerns to the City Manager or the public?”

Former CATS CEO John Lewis left the agency in November 2022, but “a culture of silence” that remains in his absence worries Altman, especially the fact that no CATS employee felt an ethical obligation to reveal the information to local leadership or the public.

Charlotte mayor issues statement

Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles said the change in CATS senior leadership brought “clarity to the need for change” and that the agency’s culture has improved under Cagle.

“I communicated my expectation to the City Manager and Mr. Cagle that CATS’ governing bodies receive regular updates on the safety and security of the system, as well and regular updates on the improvements being made to the efficiency and effectiveness of CATS,” Lyles said in a statement Tuesday afternoon.

Lyles, who also serves as chair of the MTC, said it might be time to look at a regional transit authority that would have more direct responsibility.

“When CATS was formed more than 20 years ago, Charlotte and our region were very different,” Lyles said. “It is time to examine our current interlocal agreement between the city, county and six towns.”

Voting members of the MTC are made up of elected officials within Mecklenburg County and a regional representative from the state transportation board. Non-voting members represent local governments and organizations outside of Mecklenburg County, including South Carolina’s transportation department, to “ensure regional involvement,” according to the city’s website. CATS serves Mecklenburg County transit riders.

City will pay unknown cost for light rail repairs

CATS has also not disclosed the cost of the light rail repairs to ensure another derailment does not occur.

When the Observer asked CATS how much the light rail repairs would cost, the agency responded: “Please clarify what repairs on the Blue Line you are referring to.”

A reporter sent further clarification about the faulty axle bearings and is awaiting a response.

The Metropolitan Transit Commission meets Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center and on CATS YouTube.