VALHALLA, N.Y. — The baffling behavior of a woman whose SUV stopped between the crossing gates on a railroad track came under scrutiny Wednesday as investigators sought clues to a fiery commuter train crash that killed six people.
National Transportation Safety Board officials were looking at the Metro-North train’s black-box-style recorders, seeking to learn its speed, whether brakes were applied and whether its horn sounded as it approached the suburban New York crossing where it slammed into the SUV, said NTSB vice chairman Robert Sumwalt.
“We intend to find out not only what happened, but we want to find out why it happened,” he said at the site of Tuesday evening’s rush-hour collision in Valhalla, about 20 miles north of New York City.
Later Wednesday, Sen. Charles Schumer said early indications are that the train was going 58 mph, which is under the speed limit of 60-70 mph in that area.
Investigators also planned to look at the track signals’ recording devices and interview the train’s operators, he said.
Meanwhile, officials were using dental records to identify the badly burned victims — five men on the train and the SUV driver, officials said. Several others remained hospitalized, at least two with critical or serious injuries.
It was the deadliest accident in the 22-year history of one of the nation’s busiest commuter railroads — one that has come under a spotlight over accidents in recent years.
The wreck happened after dark in backed-up traffic in an area where the tracks are straight but driving can be tricky. Motorists exiting or entering the adjacent Taconic Parkway have to turn and cross the tracks. The driver had calmly gotten out of her Mercedes SUV momentarily after the crossing’s safety gates came down around her and hit her car, said the motorist behind her, Rick Hope. He said he motioned to her to come back and gave her room to reverse. But instead, she got back in her car and went forward on the tracks, he said.
