Gotham Gazette

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The Metro-North train that derailed Sunday was speeding at 82 mph when it came to the Bronx turn that sent it off the rails, federal investigators said yesterday. The turn is one of the system's sharpest, and trains are not supposed to go faster than 30 mph in that zone. Even the straight-away leading up to it has a speed limit of 70 mph. The National Transportation Safety Board said it looks like there was no problem with the brakes, but it was still unclear if the train's speed was due to human error or faulty equipment. The engineer driving the train had a "good reputation." Law enforcement is mounting their own investigation to determine if a crime was committed. Experts say decades-old crash avoidance technology could have prevented the accident. The crash is the latest in a series of problems for Metro-North.

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Today's Report

One In Five NYC Children Hungry
One in six New York City residents still face food insecurity and hunger, while food pantries and soup kitchens faced a 10 percent increase in demand, according to the New York City Coalition Against Hunger’s annual survey. In the 2010-2012 time period 1.4 million residents – including one in five children – lived in households that lacked sufficient food. (read the full report)

Recent Reports
Loose Change Means Millions For MTA, Spike In Heating Costs, City Payphones Turn Profit, Flood Maps Will Increase Insurance Costs, Immigrants and Workers of Color More Likely to Be Injured on Construction Sites , more recent reports.