A federal report stemming from the investigation into the May 2013 derailment of a Metro-North Railroad derailment that injured scores of passengers in Bridgeport says bolts on brand-new M-8 cars are too weak.
The National Transportation Safety Board recommends that Metro-North replace thousands of bolts on the fleet of more than 400 new Kawasaki rail cars on the New Haven line and New Canaan branch.
The NTSB says the bolts were not to blame for the derailment, but that their failure made the two-train collision worse because a piece of one car sliced into the passenger compartment of another.
State Transportation Commissioner James Redeker said Monday that the M-8s meet all federal standards and are entirely safe. Metro-North spokeswoman Marjorie Anders said M-8 cars are safe and comply with FRA requirements.
"Bridgeport is doing its part to ensure more companies invest and hire people in our neighborhoods, specifically those that are close to the train. And, we expect Metro-North to do its part, too," Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch said in a statement released Monday afternoon, in part. "It seems Metro-North has a lot more work to do. But enough is enough. Metro-North needs to do more to ensure safety, security, and reliability for its passengers."
