Feds find no problems with N.Y. train brakes, kick union out of probe
The general chairman of ACRE conducted a press conference and a series of media interviews during which he discussed and interpreted information related to the ongoing investigation.
Metro-North Railroad crews at work repairing a damaged section of track near the Spuyten-Duyvil station on Tue., December 3, 2013 where a derailment occurred on Sunday, in preparation for limited restoration of service on the Hudson Line the following morning. Photo: Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit
2 min to read
Metro-North Railroad crews at work repairing a damaged section of track near the Spuyten-Duyvil station on Tue., December 3, 2013 where a derailment occurred on Sunday, in preparation for limited restoration of service on the Hudson Line the following morning. Photo: Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit
NEW YORK — AP is reporting that National Safety Transportation Board (NTSB) investigators looking into the derailment of a Metro-North train on Sunday found no problems with the brake system or track signals along its route, while the engineer was being questioned again.
The Metro-North Railroad commuter train was traveling at 82 mph as it approached a 30 mph zone and jumped the tracks along a sharp curve, killing four passengers. For the full AP report, click here.
Ad Loading...
Meanwhile, two law enforcement officials told NBC 4 New York that the train’s engineer said he zoned out just before the crash and was not able to recall specifics about the moments before the accident.
The NTSB said at a Tuesday briefing that authorities could not yet describe the engineer's condition just before the crash. Investigators are still probing whether human or mechanical error was responsible for the train speeding. For the full story, click here.
Additionally, the NTSB removed the Association of Commuter Rail Employees, or ACRE, as a participant in its investigation into the derailment.
Under the NTSB's procedures, organizations and agencies are invited to provide technical expertise in support of the NTSB's investigation. The organizations designated as parties sign an agreement to abide by NTSB rules for the duration of the investigation. Maintaining confidentiality of investigative information is one of the rules that parties agree to, further, they agree that their organizations will neither reveal nor comment on investigative information.
On Tuesday, Anthony Bottalico, general chairman of ACRE, conducted a press conference and a series of media interviews during which he discussed and interpreted information related to the ongoing investigation. As a result of this violation of the party agreement, the organization was advised it was removed from the investigation.
Ad Loading...
"While we value the technical expertise that groups like ACRE can provide during the course of an investigation, it is counterproductive when an organization breaches the party agreement and publically interprets or comments on investigation information," said NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman. "Our rules exist to avoid the prospect of any party to an NTSB investigation offering its slant on the circumstances of the accident."
Amtrak will open grant applications March 23 for community projects near the Frederick Douglass Tunnel alignment in Baltimore as part of a $50 million investment tied to the B&P Tunnel Replacement Program.
The Denmark Station $2.3 million construction investment project includes a new 280-foot concrete boarding platform, built eight inches above the top of rail, for improved accessibility for passengers with disabilities and families with small children and much more.
Caltrain and its partners have implemented safety improvements at specific locations in response to known risk conditions, operational needs, and available funding since the agency’s founding.
On a recent episode of METROspectives, METRO Magazine’s Executive Editor Alex Roman sat down with Ana-Maria Tomlinson, Director of Strategic & Cross-Sector Programs at the CSA Group, to explore a bold initiative aimed at addressing those challenges: the development of a National Code for Transit and Passenger Rail Systems in Canada.
Competitive FTA grants will support accessibility upgrades, family-friendly improvements, and cost-efficient capital projects at some of the nation’s oldest and busiest transit hubs.
The 3.92-mile addition will soon take riders west beyond its current Wilshire and Western station in Koreatown, continuing under Wilshire Boulevard through neighborhoods and communities including Hancock Park, Windsor Square, the Fairfax District, and Carthay Circle into Beverly Hills.
Under the plan, all long-distance routes will transition to a universal single-level fleet, replacing today’s mix of bi-level and single-level equipment.