Federal investigators visited a Metro-North train crash site Wednesday where six people were killed and 15 were injured.
A train on the Harlem Line crashed into an SUV Tuesday evening in the Westchester County town of Valhalla, New York. It's considered the worst accident in the history of the rail line.
New York Senator Charles Schumer told reporters Wednesday that the train was traveling at about 58 mph, within the speed limit for the area, which ranges between 60 and 70 mph. Federal investigators gathered other information about whether the train's brakes were applied, and whether its horn sounded as it approached a crossing.
One of the fatalities includes the driver of the vehicle, according to Metro-North. The northbound train struck a Mercedes at a railroad crossing, and both the vehicle and the front of the train caught fire. Witnesses said flames were shooting upward from the wreckage.
Video of this morning's on-scene media briefing by Member Sumwalt http://t.co/LAJ1iDKBLX
— NTSB (@NTSB) February 4, 2015
Officials said the SUV was stopped on the tracks when the crossing gates came down. According to WNYC, the driver got out to look at the back of her car, got back in, and drove ahead as the train struck the vehicle. The impact sent the electrified third rail off the track, piercing the train cars.
Rail passengers were moved to the rear of the train, which had left Grand Central Terminal about 45 minutes earlier.
NTSB investigator Mike Hiller provides Member Robert Sumwalt an overview of the accident site of the #MetroNorthCrash pic.twitter.com/9cYT3g561Q
— NTSB (@NTSB) February 4, 2015
Incredible photo by Albert Conte in #Valhalla at the train accident in #Valhalla - http://t.co/MHdPxUUqgf pic.twitter.com/1ZEVYm6Lfy
— Carrie Yale (@carrieyale) February 4, 2015
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo viewed the crash site before speaking to reporters.
According to The New York Times, Cuomo said the crash caused "a fire that consumed the vehicle and the first car of the train. The train pushed the SUV about 400 feet, and the explosion caused the third rail of the track to go through the front train car."
Gov Cuomo & MTA Chairman Tom Prendergast tour Valhalla crash site before briefing press pic.twitter.com/HuZ1NmL2bJ
— Melissa DeRosa (@melissadderosa) February 4, 2015
Service on Metro-North's Harlem Line has been suspended between Pleasantville and North White Plains. Metro-North's New Haven and Hudson Lines are cross-honoring Harlem Line tickets.
National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Robert Sumwalt said investigators planned to examine the train's black box style recorders Wednesday. He said the track signals also have recording devices that can be examined.
Investigators are also looking for witnesses and any aerial footage of the collision, and they hope to interview the train's operators.
Metro-North is the nation's second-busiest railroad, after the Long Island Rail Road. It was formed in 1983, and serves about 280,000 riders a day in New York and Connecticut.
This report includes information from The Associated Press. Initial reports said that six passengers were killed along with the driver of a Jeep Cherokee SUV. On Wednesday morning, New York Gov. Cuomo announced that the number of passengers killed was downgraded from six to five. An MTA spokesman also said Wednesday that the vehicle involved in the crash was a Mercedes SUV.
