Blumenthal Reiterates Call For Safety Overhaul At Metro-North After Revealing $552,000 In Safety Violation Fines Over Last Decade

Statement

U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) today released data on $552,000 in fines incurred by Metro-North over the past decade for safety violations and defects, a shameful record underscoring the urgent need for immediate attention to safety and reliability at the railroad.

"The sheer number of violations is staggering--139 violations totaling $552,000 in fines since 2004--encompassing serious lapses in safety standards and procedures. While not every reported defect is a serious safety threat, the magnitude of violations is deeply troubling. Per 100 miles of track, Metro-North had five times the number of safety defects than any other commuter railroad in the country, a truly shameful record," Blumenthal said. "The pertinence and practical importance of these defects is staggeringly clear. One of the most serious failings -- broken or cracked joint bars, loose rail braces and missing bolts -- almost certainly caused the Bridgeport derailment and collision, which resulted in more than 70 injuries and paralyzed the regional economy. Lack of proper safety training and procedures also contributed to the senseless, tragic death of a Metro-North worker Robert Luden in West Haven. Simply put, these safety failings have had tragic and catastrophic consequences."

"These fines are shocking in sheer frequency, but what is frankly incomprehensible and unacceptable is the Federal Railroad Administration's inexplicable failure to do its job and demand changes and improvements as these defects and fines mounted," Blumenthal said. "In many cases, these fines were inadequate slaps on the wrist--including $5,000 for the glaring safety lapses that resulted in the death of Metro-North worker Robert Luden on May 28 last year. A worker was killed needlessly, and the penalty was a shameful pittance. The purpose of a fine is to change behavior, and that clearly hasn't happened here. If the law needs to be toughened, let's do it," Blumenthal said.

The data was provided to Blumenthal by the Federal Railroad Administration in response to a letter sent by the Senator to FRA Administrator Joseph C. Szabo following a Connecticut Post investigation that revealed 7,100 safety defects at the railroad over the past decade.

Source