Metro-North Railroad estimated damage from last month's deadly commuter train derailment in New York City at more than $9 million, according to a
The federal agency had already determined that the southbound train, which originated in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., was running at 82 miles per hour in a 30 mph zone as it reached a 6-degree Spuyten Duyvil curve in the Bronx. Four persons died and 60 were injured.
The accident prompted New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which operates Metro-North and is one of the largest municipal issuers with $33 billion of debt, to make immediate
Donovan said improvements include installing signal system modifications to enforce the Spuyten Duyvil speed limit. "As directed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the Federal Railroad Administration, we are developing similar signal modifications at other critical curves and movable bridges, we have reduced speed limits at 33 locations," Donovan said.
Within days of the accident, the MTA said it would appropriate funding to implement a technology safety mechanism known as positive train control "on the most aggressive schedule possible," but acknowledged that meeting a 2015 federal deadline for implementation would be difficult.
"Detailed inspection and testing of the signal system, train brakes, and other mechanical equipment did not identify any anomalies," the safety board reported.
Five weeks after the accident, Howard Permut retired as Metro-North president. Joseph Giulietti, a former Metro-North executive who also served as executive director of the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority, succeeded him.
