Metro-North engineers were suspended for safety violations
Eyewitness News
NEW YORK (WABC) -- After the deadly Metro-North derailment, the Investigators dug up months of safety records, and experts say they show a history of trouble.
Our investigation found that on average, every eight weeks for a year and a half, a Metro North engineer operated a commuter train so unsafely it led to their suspension and a temporary loss of their certification to operate a train.
In the 18 months leading up to the fatal derailment, Metro North engineers racked up repeated safety violations that could have led to collisions. Documents we've obtained through Freedom of Information show the railroad suspended 10 engineers for up to 61 days for serious safety infractions. Nine of the engineers were suspended for "Passing through a red stop signal'.
'Someone should have been alerted and said we have to do something," said former federal rail nspector James Sottile.
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/investigators&id=9444799
