WASHINGTON, DC - The following information was released by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro):

External experts in track signaling and circuitry from across the country are in discussions with Metro officials in an effort to help determine what may have caused last weeks train collision. The experts were contacted by Metro to assist with the transit agencys investigation into what went wrong to cause two trains to collide on the Red Line at the start of the afternoon rush hour on June 22.

We have been talking with subject-matter experts in the field of track signaling for the past few days. We have contacted the American Public Transportation Association to be part of this effort, Metro General Manager John Catoe said. This effort will include an independent review of critical components such as signals and circuitry. Final findings will be important to Metro, but also may eventually impact the rest of the transit industry as well, he said.

Signals, circuits, relays and other components are located in the track bed and in special train control booths that enable trains and the Operations Control Center to communicate with each other to move trains and passengers safely.

In an effort to facilitate the internal review, Catoe also announced an immediate realignment of some staff from Metros Rail Department and Infrastructure and Renewal Department while this investigation is underway so that all staff who are affiliated with signal and track responsibilities, whether they are engineers or maintenance staff, are housed together in our Operations Department. This alignment will better facilitate the current investigation as well as maintenance of the rail system, Catoe said. We think that if they are combined into one unit it will create a stronger team that will make it easier to share their experience, knowledge and expertise as this investigation proceeds.

In addition to the review by outside independent experts, and realigning staff, Metro has already implemented several other actions since last weeks accident, including inspections of all 3,000 track circuits; shifting the position of the 1000-series cars; restricting speeds on the Red Line; and operating all trains manually.