Metro-North fined $552,000 past decade, says Connecticut Sen. Blumenthal

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal says Metro-North Railroad has been fined $552,000 over the past decade for safety violations and defects.

The Connecticut Democrat called it a shameful record that shows an urgent need for immediate attention to safety and reliability.

Blumenthal says there were 139 violations since 2004. He says per 100 miles of track, Metro-North had five times the number of safety defects than any other commuter railroad in the country.

The data was provided to Blumenthal by the Federal Railroad Administration.

A message left with Metro-North seeking comment wasn't immediately returned. A spokeswoman said this month the commuter railroad generally does better during federal inspections than most railroads.

The railroad had two derailments last year, one in New York City that left four passengers dead and one in Bridgeport that injured dozens.