Los Angeles vs. DC in transit system leadership accountability

Both Los Angeles' Metrolink railroad passenger system and the WMATA subway system in DC experienced catastrophic events. In September 2008, a Metrolink crash killed 25 and injured more than 1oo people. See this link for Los Angeles Times pooled coverage.

In June 2009 9 people died and more than 70 were injured in a crash near the Fort Totten station on the southbound track of the eastern leg of the WMATA red line subway.

Last week, the director of the Metrolink system agreed to step down. See "Top Metrolink executive agrees to step down" from the Los Angeles Times.

Last week ("Metro chief replaces top deputy, safety officer : Move follows Mikulski's criticism One-third of Catoe's leadership team shuffled in past week" from the Post), the General Manager of the WMATA system fired the Deputy General Manager (who came with him from the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority 2+ years ago) and demoted the safety director. The week before, other staffers were let go in a "budgetary move" including the #3 officer of the system, Emeka Moneme (see "Metro to cut official who oversaw safety : Fare increases also proposed Agency seeks to close $175 million budget gap" from the Washington Post). But in the interim, the director of rail operations, the person overseeing the subway system at the time of the crash, has been promoted to the position of interim deputy general manager.

Hmm.

Also see the Post editorial, "Mr. Catoe's future : Sen. Mikulski takes a swipe at Metro's chief executive."