Feds: Commuter rail service put punctuality ahead of safety

An “overemphasis of on-time performance” contributed to a series of accidents on New York’s Metro-North commuter railway that has raised questions about public transportation safety, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) said in a recently completed review of the service. 

The review was ordered by lawmakers after four high-profile accidents in 2013. Its release follows a fifth crash on the New York commuter railway in February that killed six passengers and the driver of a vehicle that collided with a train at a railroad crossing.  

The FRA said its review found Metro-North had “an overemphasis of on-time performance; an ineffective Safety Department and poor safety culture; and an ineffective training program.” 

{mosads}The agency said it is requiring Metro-North to make several changes to boost the safety of its passengers. 

“Effective immediately, Metro-North’s senior leadership must prioritize safety above all else, and communicate and implement that priority throughout Metro-North,” the FRA said in its report. 

“Metro-North must never compromise safety in the interest of the reliability of its train schedule or the efficiency of its railroad operations,” the report continued. “The findings of Operation Deep Dive demonstrate that Metro-North has emphasized on-time performance to the detriment of safe operations and adequate maintenance of its infrastructure. This led to a deficient safety culture that has manifested itself in increased risk and reduced safety on Metro-North. This is a severe assessment, and it is intended as an urgent call to action to Metro-North’s leadership as they work to develop a comprehensive plan to turn Metro-North into a model of safe railroad operations.” 

Lawmakers have raised questions about the safety of railroad crossings in the U.S. after a recent string of accidents that included the February Metro-North crash and collisions between trains and cars on Amtrak and California’s Metrolink commuter railway. 

“Far too many crossings nationwide rely on 19th century technology,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said in a statement after the California crash, which occurred on Feb. 24. 

“Modern engineering, increased education and stronger enforcement are needed now,” he continued. 

The FRA said earlier this month that it is launching a new campaign to boost rail safety by warning drivers about the dangers of entering track crossing intersections when trains are approaching.

The agency said in its new Metro-North report that is requiring the New York commuter rail service to “submit a plan to improve the Safety Department’s mission and effectiveness” and “improve the training program” within the next 60 days. 

“Metro-North must evaluate the structure, organization, and responsibilities of the Safety Department to ensure that it is communicating effectively throughout Metro-North, and that it is providing effective leadership and oversight on safety issues,” the agency said. “Metro-North must ensure that the staff of the Safety Department conducts safety meetings at all levels of the organization and provides appropriate in-person monitoring of field activities and personnel.”  

Final Operation Deep Dive report