The Federal Railroad Administration Friday released a report finding major safety lapses at Metro-North, including that the railroad emphasized punctuality to the detriment of safety. The report was prompted by four accidents in 2013, including a fatal derailment in December in the Bronx.
The report, dubbed Operation Deep Dive, found a number of safety issues at Metro-North. Democratic Senator from New York Charles Schumer says the number of lapses cited in the report speaks to a problem with top management. He has high expectations for Metro-North’s new president Joseph Giulietti.
“And the fact that we have a new head of Metro-North is opportune. He can change the Metro-North culture. He can turn it inside out to make sure that safety is number one, and I would say that is his job number one,” said Schumer.
Giulietti responded to the FRA’s findings, calling the report deeply troubling.
“Safety was not the top priority. It must be and it will be,” Giulietti said.
