New Safety Measures In Place For Metro-North Trains
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Following the release of a scathing report from the Federal Railroad Administration, Metro-North Railroad has instituted some new safety measures.
As WCBS 880's Paul Murnane reported from South Norwalk, the railroad has reportedly finished signaling upgrades that will automatically brake speeding trains at movable bridges and sharp curves.
Metro-North president Joe Giulietti also will reportedly meet riders Wednesday afternoon at Grand Central Terminal.
New Safety Measures In Place For Metro-North Trains
But transit advocate Jim Cameron is warning riders about new timetables expected in May. They may reflect a decade of slower service, Cameron said.
"That's something we're going to have to adjust to. I just think you have to accept the reality of that being the new normal," he told Murnane.
Cameron said Giulietti deserves some credit for meeting with riders face to face.
Last week, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced plans to install video cameras and audio recorders on most Metro-North and Long Island Rail Road trains.
The move is in response to safety recommendations put forward by the National Transportation Safety Board following a December derailment that killed four people in the Bronx, the MTA said.
Metro-North has acknowledged repeatedly that 2013 was its worst year in memory. A derailment in Bridgeport in May injured dozens of people and another in the Bronx on Dec. 1 left four people dead.
A power outage in September forced Metro-North to reduce service for nearly two weeks, infuriating passengers and forcing many to take to their cars on crowded Connecticut highways to avoid Metro-North.
"Safety must come first at Metro-North," Giulietti said earlier this month. "Safety was not the top priority. It must be and it will be."
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