Cuomo, Christie call for review of Amtrak infrastructure protocols

4/12/2017    

Rail News: Amtrak

A New Jersey Transit derailment last week stemmed from a wide gauge track condition, according to Amtrak.Photo – Amtrak

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on Monday called for an independent review of Amtrak's infrastructure and maintenance protocols in response to the railroad's recent acknowledgement that track disrepair played a role in two train derailments at New York City's Penn Station.

In a letter to Amtrak Chief Executive Officer Wick Moorman and Federal Railroad Administration Executive Director Patrick Warren, the governors noted the derailments caused "severe service disruptions" at the station.

An independent review should take into account the causes of the recent failures at the station and "any needed changes to the processes by which routine maintenance and emergency repairs are performed," the letter stated.

"As you know, Penn Station is more than just a rail hub — it is a regional economic engine," the governors wrote, adding that the MTA Long Island Rail Road carries 230,000 riders through the station and New Jersey Transit carries 200,000 commuters to and from Manhattan every day.

"Severe service disruptions at Penn Station not only impact and inconvenience riders, but also create a ripple effect across the region," wrote Cuomo and Christie.

Last week, Moorman acknowledged that track issues led to a NJ Transit train derailment at Penn Station last week and an Amtrak Acela train derailment at the station in March.

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