C line accident (car ends up on tracks)

A car went out of control, hit a second vehicle and then came to a stop on the Green Line tracks at Coolidge Corner in Brookline this morning. Trolley traffic was interrupted for more than an hour until the vehicle could be removed. (George Rizer / Globe Staff Photo)

Anyone know how long it took for them to clear this up? This is only about a block from where I used to live last year. How did they get trains around this?

by putting trains on the other track using crossovers

Probably not crossovers. There aren't many left on the surface lines. Not sure about the C Line, but the B line only has two trailing point crossovers (Washington St., Packards Corner), not counting the Blanford St. pocket or the one by BC, near the Seminary.

2-3 weeks ago a similar incident happened at almost the same spot on a Saturday mornoing but on the westbound side. A Jaguar somehow made its way from the parking reservation to completely blocking the outbound tracks. It also partially blocked the inbound tracks enough so that trains could not get by. Delay lasted about 1 hour and a wrecker pulled it off the tracks. Buses were sent but some of the buses bypassed some stops.

Also happens a lot at BC. When they redid the tracks thru the intersection, they left the space in between where the tracks cross Lake St. and where the cross the w/b lanes of Comm. Ave. into the station as open area with regular track and ballast. Before, the tracks were in pavement all the way through. Its not uncommon at all to see a car make the left turn off of reservior Drive, and land in the track area, rather than going all the way across to the w/b lanes. Seen many a T Suburban using a chain to pull cars out of there! (and sometimes a tow truck when the driver really gets themselves stuck)

Fortunately, with the crossover up by the Seminary entrance, they can keep trains running from the "satelite platform" east of Lake St.