Jul 17, 2009 8:59 pm US/Eastern
Witness: LIRR Engineer Lets Passenger Drive Train
Commuter Told Police He Saw Passenger Operating NYC-Bound Double-Decker Train; Accused Engineer Suspended
LIRR Is Busiest Commuter Railroad In Nation, Serving 81 Million Yearly
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
An engineer on the LIRR has been suspended for allegedly allowing a passenger to operate the train on its way into Queens, from Hicksville to Hunters Point Avenue. Now, two investigations are underway.
It's an alarming charge – that the operator of a speeding train may not have been the engineer, but a fellow passenger.
"I'm concerned, I'm concerned," one LIRR passenger said. "Hate to hear something like that."
"It gets you kind of worried when you're about to get on a train," another passenger said.
Both the MTA police and the Nassau County district attorney are investigating whether an engineer turned over the controls of a diesel passenger train to a passenger.
"Allowing a passenger to operate a LIRR train puts passengers and communities alike in incredible danger," District Attorney Kathleen Rice said.
The incident allegedly happened on July 2, aboard a double-decker train that originated in Port Jefferson at 6:35 am. It's charged that between Hicksville and Hunters Point Avenue in Queens, where the train had no stops, a passenger whose identity is unknown was allowed to take the controls.
After the train arrived, a passenger called police to say he'd witnessed the engineer allowing a passenger to be at the controls during a portion of the trip.
"The allegation is that the engineer allowed a civilian to operate a train," LIRR spokesman Joe Calderone said.
The westbound train, powered by an engine in the rear, was remotely controlled from a cab in the lead passenger car.
"It can go up to 80 miles an hour in that stretch, but there are speed restrictions at points along the way," Calderone said.
The engineer, who was suspended without pay, has not been officially identified so far.
If there are other passengers who witnessed what took place, authorities are hoping they will come forward and call the MTA police.
A spokesman for the union that represents train engineers had no comment.
The LIRR is the busiest commuter railroad in the U.S., servicing about 81 million passengers each year.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
World's Most Useless Facts
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Reporting
Comments