Federal regulators say the engineer of a commuter train that derailed in New York City last year fell asleep, causing him to miss a 30 mph speed limit and hit a curve at 82 mph.
The National Transportation Safety Board on Tuesday announced the probable cause of the December 1 derailment in the Bronx that killed four people and injured 61. It says engineer William Rockefeller fell asleep because of a combination of a sleep disorder and a drastic shift in his work schedule. It says Metro-North railroad also lacked policy to screen for sleep disorders. Metro-North President Joseph Giulietti says railroad officials "truly" take the findings "to heart." He says a test project on engineer sleep apnea is underway. The board issued conclusions on four other recent Metro-North accidents, including two in Connecticut in May of 2013.
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