Metro's Unsatisfying Answer to Question About Crash That Killed Nine

In a July 4 article on the recent Metro crash that killed nine people ["Six Key Questions in Aftermath of Accident"], Lena H. Sun reported: "Metro did not know the track circuit was only intermittently detecting a train -- 'fluttering' on and off -- until after the accident, when officials ran analytical reports that showed the pattern."

How is it possible that Metro officials were not regularly monitoring these circuits? How do they not have safeguards in place to let them know when life-saving equipment is "fluttering on and off"?

Whether it's the fault of the instrument itself or the installation team, Metro officials must do better. They should run these "analytical reports" on a regular basis or find some other way to ensure that crash-preventing technology is doing its job.

JOHN LANDERS

College Park