We have a fatal train wreck here in NYC this morning. There are presently 4 dead and 11 critically injured. AT 7:20 AM a Metro North train originating in Poughkeepsie came into the Spuyten Duyvil curve too fast and left the tracks.
Besides grieving for the dead and concern for the injured (three of the deaths were from ejections) my first thought when such a tragedy occurs is always, "how the hell did this happen?" You would think in this day and age in our greatest modern cities one could board a train and never have this happen or even think that it could happen, but alas here we are.
At this point I suspect it is human error- the driver simply came into the turn too fast and/or didn't leave enough time to brake- either in normal or emergency mode. His first statement is that he applied the brakes but the train didn't slow down. We shall see.