Collision at the Monteagudo crossing
A Sarmiento line train struck a grey car on Tuesday morning at the Monteagudo level crossing in Ramos Mejía, after the vehicle crossed the tracks while the barrier was down. The train had just left Ramos Mejía station bound for Once and was travelling at low speed. The impact was little more than a graze, and the driver suffered only minor injuries and was assisted at the scene. No other injuries were reported.[S1][S2][S3][S4][S5][S6]
The train had departed Ramos Mejía minutes earlier on the Moreno–Once route and was due to pass through Ciudadela, Liniers, Villa Luro, Floresta, Flores and Caballito before reaching the Once terminal. According to versions of the incident, the crossing's audible and visual signals were working correctly, though the area has no flagman. The first hypotheses indicated that the car crossed when the signalling did not allow it.[S1][S2][S3][S4][S6]
Service interrupted and then resumed with delays
As a safety protocol, the electrical supply was cut to allow passengers to be evacuated from the train. Trenes Argentinos temporarily halted services heading to Once to let emergency teams work at the scene. The service was restored minutes later, but trains continued to run with delays and cancellations, and the operator reported conditional service with no stop at Ramos Mejía.[S1][S2][S3][S4][S5][S6]
The line had already been running with delays during the morning because of technical problems in the Liniers area, which compounded the disruption to frequencies. The incident affected passengers travelling towards the City of Buenos Aires and had knock-on effects on other scheduled services on the line. Other metropolitan lines — Mitre, Belgrano Norte, Urquiza and San Martín — ran normally, while Belgrano Sur was also operating without reported problems.[S1][S2][S3][S5][S6]
Passenger anger and a crossing with a history
Some passengers on the train posted videos on social media recorded in the minutes after the crash, showing the scene around the car and the interruption of the service. They strongly criticised the driver for crossing with the barrier down, saying the manoeuvre endangered people in the area and caused problems for thousands who depend on the Sarmiento daily. Users also voiced their frustration over the fresh disruption to the service.[S1][S2][S3][S4][S5]
The Monteagudo level crossing has been the scene of other incidents. People who regularly travel through the area say the barriers stay down for prolonged periods because of the high frequency of trains, with the gates lowered 25 minutes out of every hour. While circulation returns to normal, users are advised to check official channels before starting their journey and to allow for possible delays.[S1][S2][S3]
