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According to a preliminary investigation, a one-eighth inch gap in a switch that allows trains to change tracks caused the wheel's flange to climb upward in the inner-side of the rail, Metro-North spokesman Aaron Donovan told the Connecticut Post.
No passengers were aboard the train, which partially blocked the track leading to the station for much of the day.
Following the incident, State Sen. Toni Boucher expressed concern about the "minor" derailment: No one was injured, Boucher said in a statement, "yet the incident is still a worrisome echo of the problems which have plagued Metro North over the past few years and which the railroad has been working hard to overcome with new leadership, training and safety procedures."
"Although progress has been made with regard to safety and the DOT did the right thing by classifying a minor non-life-threatening incident as a derailment, any occurrence of this kind should be taken very seriously and full disclosure of the investigations results provided," said Boucher, who is the ranking member of the legislative Transportation Committee.
"Of particular concern is that if the New Canaan Line, which is relatively up-to-date, should have suffered a derailment, what about the other branch lines operating on older technology?" she said.
Click here to read the Connecticut Post story.
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