Audit: Metro-North Repair Crews Get Little Supervision
HARTFORD, Conn. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- A transportation official says Metro-North Railroad maintenance crews receive little or no supervision and fail to document their work on the same commuter line where six people died in a fiery crash in February.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority's inspector general says Metro-North maintenance crews sometimes don't even receive assignments, according to a report in the New York Post.
On Feb. 3, a Metro-North train struck an SUV stopped on the tracks in Valhalla, New York, causing pieces of the electrified third rail to spear the vehicle and train. The SUV driver and five passengers aboard the train were killed.
Audit: Metro-North Repair Crews Get Little Supervision
Many of the problems in the review were brought to the railroad's attention in 2001, but were not properly addressed. That audit found a lack of record-keeping for equipment failures and repair work and reported that Metro-North was not keeping track of the work by crews during their shifts.
However, Inspector General Barry Kluger's office says Metro-North's new management "clearly recognizes the seriousness of the issue."
Metro-North acknowledged there has been a lack of documentation of repairs and emergency calls to fix switches and signals on the three lines.
Metro-North spokeswoman Marjorie Anders said record keeping does need to improve.
"There is some paperwork, but there isn't the level of detail that would make for better business management," she told WCBS 880 Connecticut Bureau Chief Fran Schneidau.
Anders said going forward work and assignments will be detailed on a computer-based system, which will spell out details on the tasks.
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