New York truck-train collision leads to scrutiny of short-line railroad

Federal railroad specialists are reviewing the New York & Atlantic Railway’s ability to meet safety regulations in the wake of a July 8 accident in Queens, N.Y.    The Federal Railroad Administration has launched a comprehensive safety review of the New York & Atlantic Railway’s safety culture and compliance management practices following a July 8 accident involving a truck in Queens, N.Y.
   The New York & Atlantic Railway, owned by Anacostia Rail Holdings, is a short-line freight railroad the serves Long Island from New York City.
   The review will cover railroad operations, engineer and conductor certification, locomotive engineer oversight, grade crossing diagnostics, the operations center, training and compliance with federal regulations. The FRA, part of the Department of Transportation, will use the safety audit to make recommendations to the railroad on how to improve safety and follow up to make sure those recommendations are implemented, the agency said.
   According to news reports, a truck burst into flames after it was struck by a NY&AR train carrying garbage as it tried to cross an intersection. ABC News aired video from another truck’s dash cam that appeared to show that the gate blocking traffic never went down before the New York & Atlantic Railway train passed by.