A 25-year veteran Metro mechanic was seriously injured Tuesday after he was hit by a train at the Shady Grove train yard and pinned beneath it for nearly an hour.
The man was flown to a trauma center after he was extricated by Montgomery County Fire and Rescue workers at about 2:10 p.m.
It was reported the man was conscious and alert while he was being attended to beneath the train car.
Metro spokesman Dan Stessel said the cause of the accident was still under investigation, but Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Assistant Chief Scott Graham said the man had been walking in the train yard and stepped in front of a train.
Mr. Stessel said Metro was conducting a safety stand-down at the train yard, which is a review of safety practices and employee counseling.
The accident happened hours after the transportation system touted its completion of a National Transportation Safety Board recommendation for guard rails that allow trains to move between tracks with less risk of a derailment.
