Two train cars operated by the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency crashed in the Sunset on July 31, and the initial cause appears to be driver fatigue, according to the MTA.
One L-Taraval train ran into another L-Taraval train at approximately 8:33 a.m. near 47th Avenue and Wawona street, and video from the driver’s cabin shows the windshield shatter on impact. The footage also shows that the driver was asleep or otherwise not conscious moments before the crash.
Footage of the accident, which was posted online by an unknown source, began going viral on social media earlier this month. Formal investigation of the crash is “ongoing,” but there are no vehicle or infrastructure issues as a result of the collision, the agency said in a statement to Gazetteer SF. No injuries were reported.
“This type of incident is simply unacceptable,” SFMTA Director of Transportation Julie Kirschbaum said. “The safety of our passengers and operators is our most important priority, and we are grateful that no one was injured. When the investigation is completed, we will move quickly to take appropriate action based on the final determination.”
The unidentified operator has been put on “non-driving status,” and MTA is working with the California Public Utilities Commission to investigate the crash. The MTA has increased “random video reviews” of rail operation to ensure safety and allocated “additional rest time” on all operator shifts to address potential fatigue, according to its statement. The agency is also implementing “ongoing fatigue awareness” campaigns to prevent future incidents.
The incident is similar to a November 2025 accident in which the operator fell asleep and failed to notice the N-Judah train gaining speed and rocking uncontrollably as it barreled westbound through the Sunset Tunnel. The operator appeared to wake up just in time to apply the brakes and bring the train to a literal screeching halt; it was traveling about 50 miles per hour, much faster than normal operating speed of about 10 miles per hour. The train blew past a stop at Duboce Park before coming to rest near Duboce Avenue and Walter Street.
Some passengers screamed or fell down as the train lost stability, but no injuries were reported. The MTA pointed to operator fatigue, not the train or rail infrastructure, as the cause of the 2025 accident.
