is investigating two transit operators: One who crashed a MAX train at the end of the

and another who posted an in-house video of the dramatic collision on YouTube.

The video -- taken by a TriMet closed-circuit security camera at the

stop about noon on Oct. 13 -- shows an out-of-control MAX train barreling down the tracks toward the Yellow Line terminus.

Rather than coming to a slow stop at the so-called "bumping post," the train slams into the structure, pushing it forward several feet before it hits a fenced concrete barrier. On impact, the front of the train crumples as pieces of what appear to be metal and glass fly.

None of the riders on board were injured, but the incident is expected to cost TriMet $25,000 to $50,000, the agency said.

"This video is not releasable yet," said TriMet spokeswoman Mary Fetsch. "An employee somehow got a hold of it and released it. Now that person is on administrative leave."

As a matter of policy, TriMet waits until crash investigations are completed before releasing videos from buses, trains and stations.

At the same time, Oregon's largest transit agency has been hush-hush about the incident for weeks, despite the fact that people were on a publicly owned train that sustained heavy damage. Still, TriMet officials released no information about the crash after it happened. On Monday, they called it a "minor service disruption."

Following up on a news tip, The Oregonian asked TriMet for video from and information about the incident last week. Another spokeswoman for the agency said the video didn't exist and denied knowing about the incident.

Fetsch said she knew about the crash but was on vacation and the public information officer filling in for her was unaware of what happened.

Although TriMet video from crashes and other serious incidents are public record, officials say they don't release it until investigators have done their job.

"Our approach is to safeguard the evidence and ensure that we protect the integrity of the investigation," Fetsch said. "We also want to protect the employee's right to a fair process."

TriMet bus driver and

blogger Al Margulies first posted the video to his YouTube account Sunday. On Monday afternoon, a TriMet supervisor notified Margulies that he was being placed and leave and investigated for violating TriMet policy.

Margulies said he wasn't the employee who snuck the video out of TriMet. "It was released to me by a guy who had nothing to do with taking the video," Margulies said. "He had no way of getting it from TriMet, so he must have received it from someone else."

Margulies initially defended posting the video. "Why wouldn't I put it up?" Margulies said. "It was interesting and I collect TriMet material."

But less than an hour after making those comments, Margulies said he was taking it down from YouTube "due to pressure."

This isn't the first time that TriMet has targeted Margulies because of a blog post. In June 2010, videos posted by Margulies prompted the agency to prohibit bus drivers and MAX operators who operate transit-related blogs recording footage while on the job.

TriMet declined to release the name of the MAX operator, an eight-year employee, placed on paid administrative leave. Fetsch said she "can not confirm or deny" that Margulies was the video whistle-blower who was placed on leave. "We are launching an investigation into how he got the video and then released it," she said, without naming the employee.

After more than three weeks, TriMet said it is still investigating the crash. But all of the equipment on the train was found to be working properly and it was likely due to operator error, Fetsch said.

"He was just starting his week – it was his Monday," Fetsch said, "and he had worked just under eight hours when the incident occurred; overtime was not an issue."

A "couple of people" were on the train when it crashed, but no one was injured, Fetsch said.

"This is a rare occurrence," Fetsch said. "In the 25-year history of MAX, this type of incident has occurred four times, this being the most serious."

--