On Monday, federal documents that were released to the public revealed that the engineer that drove the commuter train which derailed last year and killed four people in the problems was known to have a sleep disorder. The Washington Post said that the documents also said that William Rockefeller had confided to investigators that he felt strangely dazed ahead of the crash, and didn't realize he was entering a curve just before the speeding train derailed in the Bronx.
The Post said that the Metro-North Railroad train Rockefeller had been driving had hit the curve at 82mph. The speed limit of the train is at 30mph. Over 70 commuters were injured in the derailment.
The documents released by the National Transportation Safety Board are medical reports, transcripts of interviews and other documents pertaining to the accident. The board said that its analysis of the information regarding the derailment and any determination of the cause will be released at a later time.
Rockefeller's medical exam following the accident diagnosed his as yet to be uncovered condition as severe obstructive sleep apnea, according to the NTSB. A sleep study was reportedly ordered as Rockefeller had no recollection leading to the train derailment. The study revealed that the engineer had 65 sleep arousals per hour. Scientists have said that one could make someone chronically sleepy when he has a few as five interruptions in his sleep per hour.
In his NTSB interview, Rockefeller didn't believe that he was sleepy. He compared that strange feeling that would come over him as hypnotic, and added "It was sort of like I was dazed, you know, looking straight ahead, almost like mesmerized."
Aside from Rockefeller's sleep condition, it was also known that the engineer's work schedule had been changed recently from late night to early morning.
On the other hand, the NTSB said that sleep apnea does not belong in the medical guidelines of the Metro-North. The board had since recommended steps to Metro-North regarding its speed limit measures and the installation of on-board recorders. Metro-North, which operates trams in Connecticut and New York, has stated that it is reviewing the board's latest documents and will be working with them about the suggestions. The was no indication in the report by the Post of whether Rockefeller or Metro-North will be charged in relation of the accident.
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