Commuter Trains Are Slower But Safer

Riders likely grumbled about the temperature and air quality in the train cars they stepped onto, and about how long the ride was going to take. The right-of-way had been fully electrified that June, and older steam engines with a top speed of about 65 mph were mothballed. [...] though, and especially since the mid-1980s, the average trip on Metro-North Railroad has gotten longer, with the introduction of cab signaling equipment and speed restrictions over aging tracks and bridges. The Federal Rail Administration placed even more speed and operating restrictions on Metro-North after a series of accidents last year, including a derailment in December that killed four people and injured 63.