Wayward Skateboard Derails Train In Boston

Breaking: Green line train derails on the E branch in Boston; no injuries. @NBC10Boston @NECN pic.twitter.com/myTTXvaens

— Michael Rosenfield NBC10 Boston (@MikeRNBCBoston) October 20, 2021

In a crazy bit of news out of Boston, Mass, it looks like a skateboard actually caused an MBTA train to derail. NBC10’s Michael Rosenfeld shared the story via Twitter and, of course, this happened at night when it’s next-to-impossible to spot tiny rocks and shit; the skater was probably going in the opposite direction, but then hit a microscopic piece of trash on the pavement sending his board flying back to the tracks.

It’s kind of fucked up that the skater lost his board (like, that thing is completely and utterly disintegrated… see above)—and luckily no passengers were hurt—but it’s surprising that streetcars are fragile enough that a 7-ply 8.25” will throw it off the tracks. Skateboard vs. train? Place your bets.

We’ve all been in this situation, repeatedly, rolling along and minding our own business and then some little piece of glass sends our boards flying all over the place. That’s just a cost of being a skater, but if you find yourself skating near tracks a lot maybe you should switch to some softer cruiser wheels. It might save your whole setup (at least in the Boston area).