Federal Regulators Meet With LIRR Officials To Discuss Safety Issues
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Federal regulators met with Long Island Rail Road officials Tuesday after learning about possibly dangerous conditions on trains.
CBS2 exclusively exposed the problem Monday night.
Some trains are so packed that passengers are forced to sit on suitcases, or in the aisles.
A preliminary meeting was held to discuss possible options to relieve overcrowding. The LIRR was said to be taking those options into consideration, CBS2's Meg Baker reported.
It's more than an inconvenience for commuters. Federal officials said those conditions could be extremely dangerous, especially in an emergency situation.
The regional safety manager for the Federal Railroad Administration met with the vice president of operations for the LIRR to discuss commuter complaints and safety concerns related to overcrowding. They visited five stops along the LIRR.
In a statement, the FRA said the meeting was "to discuss solutions to the problem of overcrowding, which can be a concern as it relates to the ability of people to move from one car to the next in the event of an emergency."
Baker rode a train where dozens of commuters were jam-packed into cars and blocking stairs and emergency exits.
"It's like gladiator to get on the train," Lauren Machinist said.
Kim Hall had to sit on the floor from Penn Station to Montauk on Friday.
"I find it unsafe because people can't pass in an evacuation situation. I find it unsafe," she said.
She's certainly not alone.
"Sitting on my bags, standing for two hours, fighting people just trying to get through the aisles, everyone gets really aggressive," Racheal Kasab said.
The Friday, 4 p.m. Cannonball express train on the Montauk Line consists of 12 cars, three of which are reserved seating only, which leaves 1,046 seats in the unreserved section.
According to the LIRR there were 1,540 customers on board on Friday, Aug. 7. That left 494 people standing between nine cars, or about 55 extra people per car.
Riders want more service, requesting that additional cars be added to popular transit times.
"It's a disaster really. People pushing, shoving, not a comfortable experience. No idea why they are allowed to over-sell the train like they are," Matthew Scally said.
Commuters told CBS2's Baker that the problems aren't limited to Fridays. Once their track is posted on the board, it's a daily battle for a seat.
"It's not a holiday thing anymore. The trains have become unpredictable timewise, but they are so overcrowded that during rush hours, morning, night, insufficient trains, insufficient seats," Sue Bruno said.
The LIRR released a statement saying it "would never permit any train to leave Penn Station if it believed the crowding was unsafe. No one is forced to board the train and if a customer feels the Cannonball is too crowded, he or she can take any one of the numerous Montauk-bound trains leaving Penn Station or Hunterspoint Station in Queens all day and all night on Fridays."
