NTSB: No evidence Amtrak engineer was using phone during crash
The phone records analysis of the Amtrak 188 investigation was more complicated than anticipated because the phone carrier has multiple systems that log different types of phone activity, some of which are based in different time zones.
Following analysis of phone records there is no indication that any calls, texts or data usage occurred during the time the engineer of Amtrak Train 188 was operating the train, according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Amtrak’s records also confirm the engineer did not access the train’s Wi-Fi system while he was operating the locomotive.
To determine whether the phone was in “airplane mode” or was powered off, investigators in the NTSB laboratory in Washington have been examining the phone’s operating system, which contains more than 400,000 files of meta-data. Investigators are obtaining a phone identical to the engineer’s phone as an exemplar model and will be running tests to validate the data.
Ad Loading...
The engineer provided the NTSB with the passcode to the cell phone, which allowed investigators to access the data without having to go through the phone manufacturer.
Last year, the NTSB lab processed about 80 personal electronic devices and more than 40 cell phones. The phone records analysis of the Amtrak 188 investigation has been more complicated than anticipated because the phone carrier has multiple systems that log different types of phone activity, some of which are based in different time zones. Investigators worked with the phone carrier to validate the timestamps in several sets of records with activity from multiple time zones to correlate them all to the time zone in which the accident occurred, Eastern Daylight Time.
NTSB’s Amtrak 188 accident webpage has links to all of the reports, videos, images, testimony and other related materials.
The delivery marks the first car in a 374‑vehicle order and begins the arrival of a new generation of higher‑capacity, more reliable, and more comfortable trains for one of the country’s busiest commuter rail systems.
BART recorded 5,403,140 exits in March, making it the highest monthly ridership since the pandemic and surpassing the previous high set in October 2025 (5,346,890 exits).
The station was rebuilt as part of SEPTA’s Station Accessibility Program, making it fully ADA accessible with new elevators, ramps, and high-level platforms.
The announcement highlights the long-standing partnership between the Class I railroad and the commuter rail system, dating back to Metra's creation in 1983.
Crews completed a significant portion of the testing required before commissioning the new, digital signaling system, which will bring important upgrades that strengthen Red Line service reliability for riders and provide Red Line Operations the ability to route trains more quickly, turn trains around faster, and recover from unplanned disruptions more efficiently, said MBTA officials.
In addition to new projects, progress continues on a multiyear effort to upgrade track, electrical, and signal systems on the Metra Electric Line to accommodate the expansion of service on the South Shore Line.
The Maryland Transit Administration is advancing the nearly $1.4 billion Light Rail Modernization Program, which modernizes the Baltimore Central Light Rail Line from Hunt Valley to BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport with new, low-floor vehicles and upgrades to all light rail stations, systems, and maintenance facilities.
The Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board recently met for a budget workshop, during which staff outlined the significant service reductions Caltrain could be forced to make without new external funding.
Funding for the purchase of the railcars comes from the nearly $220 million in additional capital dollars Gov. Josh Shapiro allocated in November 2025 to support urgent safety upgrades and infrastructure improvements.
