Metro-North takes steps to improve safety

MTA Metro-North Railroad is continuing to make immediate safety improvements following orders from New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA).

The railroad was ordered to take various steps following the Dec. 1 derailment at the Spuyten Duyvil curve in the Bronx, which caused four fatalities.

In a recent post on its website, Metro-North reported the completion of the following actions:

• Developed and finished signal system modifications at the derailment site.
• Completed signal system modifications at the Jenkins curve in Bridgeport, Conn., and the Port Chester curve on the New Haven Line. In addition, modifications were made at Peck Bridge in Bridgeport.
• Enhanced communication among train crew to members to ensure trains are operated at safe speeds at the four remaining critical curves and five movable bridges on the railroad's network.
• Surveyed all mainline track locations that require a reduction of more than 20 mph from the maximum authorized operating speed. The railroad also reduced speed limits at 33 locations both East and West of the Hudson River in order to eliminate all locations where speed limit drops by more than 20 mph and enhanced monitoring of compliance with speed restrictions.

Metro-North is making progress on other actions, as well, such as the development of signal system modifications at the two remaining critical curves at Yonkers on the Hudson Line and White Plains on the Harlem Line, and four remaining bridges on the New Haven Line. Two-thirds of Metro-North's operating fleet is equipped with "alerter" devices in the engineer's position to ensure they remain responsive. By 2014’s end, all older equipment without alerters will be retrofitted to include them or replaced with equipment that includes alerters.

Metro-North and the MTA Long Island Rail Road recently committed $428 million for a contract to begin the installation of a positive train control (PTC) system. National Transportation Safety Board officials have said the Dec. 1 accident could have been prevented by a PTC system.