A train from Poughkeepsie, N.Y., heading toward Grand Central Terminal derailed at about 7:20 a.m. on Dec. 1, leaving at least four people dead and 11 critically injured.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner could not confirm the number of injuries, but an FDNY spokesman said 63 people were injured on the train, which was carrying approximately 120 passengers.
“If there is a lesson to learn from this tragedy, we want to make sure that we learn it,” New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said at a press conference Sunday evening.
In a press release issued by the MTA, the agency encouraged the 26,000 people who depend on the Hudson Line to use the Harlem Line instead.
The National Transportation Safety Board, an independent federal agency that investigates the security of transportation systems, will conduct inspections of the Hudson Line crash. NTSB board member Earl Weener said the agency’s efforts will focus on the perishable evidence, and he estimated the examination will last 10 days. After the investigation, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority will work on repairing the damage to the railway.
“Our mission is to understand not just what happened but why it happened, with the intent of preventing it from happening again,” Weener said at the press conference.
Cuomo said further action will depend on the results of the investigation.
University spokesman John Beckman said there have been no confirmed injuries or fatalities of members of the NYU community.
NYU journalism professor Ted Conover, who uses the line to commute to work, said he would continue to choose to take the train on his daily commute.
“Even though this is the second recent wreck near Spuyten Duyvil, the odds of being involved in an accident like this seem quite low,” Conover said.
CAS sophomore Emily Koller said the train was the most convenient way to travel between NYU and her home in Westchester, N.Y.
“I will continue to use Metro North because it is the quickest way into and out of the city from where I live,” Koller said. “But it’s definitely terrifying to know that the accident happened so close to home and on the train line that I use.”
Gallatin sophomore Chloe Gbai said she has used the Hudson Line her entire life, including this past weekend to travel back home for Thanksgiving.
“As shocking and tragic as it is, [the accident] has at least reminded me to be thankful that I am healthy and am able to be with my family and friends to celebrate this time of love and fellowship,” Gbai said.
A version of this article appeared in the Monday, Dec. 1 print edition. Michael Domanico is a news editor. Email him at [email protected].
