Train derailment that led to MARTA rail disruption resolved
A MARTA train that derailed Wednesday morning was re-railed several hours later, and service had partially returned to normal by the evening.
About 16 passengers were aboard when a wheel “lost contact with the rail” at around 7:30 a.m. near the King Memorial station, an agency spokesperson said. No injuries were reported, and all passengers were moved to another train and taken to the Edgewood/Candler Park station.
Shortly before 7 p.m., officials said the train had been re-railed, moved to the rail yard, and the tracks near the King Memorial station were cleared.
MARTA will single-track between the GWCC and Edgewood stations until the end of service at 1 a.m. Additional buses will remain available between Georgia State and Candler Park until 9 p.m., and affected riders can use MARTAConnect for discounted Uber and Lyft rides until 1 a.m.
Rail operators worked throughout the day to get the train car back on the rails. MARTA officials were onsite investigating, and the agency had notified the Georgia Department of Transportation and the Federal Transit Administration. The National Transportation Safety Board was not looking into the matter, the MARTA spokesperson said.
At the King Memorial station, gates to the stairs and escalators were bolted shut to block access to the station while mechanics worked to restore service.
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About the Authors
Sara Gregory covers transportation for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Previously, she covered local government in DeKalb County. A Charlotte native, she joined the paper in 2023 after working at newspapers in South Carolina and Virginia.
