This just in from Eyewitness News: Man falls down 2 flights of stairs at Grand Central Terminal
And this what we can expect to follow:
1. Schumenthal holds press conference in Grand Central Terminal, which it misidentifies as Grand Central Station, and claims accident proves the Federal Railroad Administration, which it misidentifies as the Federal Railway Administration is a "rogue agency," a "lawless" body and that heads must roll down at least 2 more flights of stairs.
2. NTSB asserts that technology capable of preventing falls on stairs, known as Positive Step Control, has been available for "decades," has been on its "top-ten most wanted list" since before NTSB was created, and that it is only the archaic military like organization, punishment-based culture of the railroads that has prevented installation.
3. Railroads counter-assert that the technology for Positive Step Control is unproven, flaw-ridden, and worst of all, unfunded. Railroads argue that insufficient radio spectrum is available to track the movements of all those utilizing stairs.
4. Metro-North refuses to investigate the accident. Instead it releases a statement welcoming "the participation of our partners in NTSB and FRA in a thorough investigation of this matter that will elucidate the real causes, and provide us with material to develop real solutions. In the meantime, we are slowing down the maximum authorized speed on all stairs, de-emphasizing getting anywhere on time (except for lunch), and holding a safety stand-down where nobody uses steps for 24 hours."
5. Schumenthal denounces Metro-North for not affixing inward facing video recorders to the foreheads of all employees using stairs. MTA announces it will solicit bids.
6. Unions claim employee was fatigued; demand that at least two people be on any step at any given time.
7. FRA issues an emergency order indicating that an emergency order referring only to stairs on Metro-North will be issued via Facebook.
8. Cellphone records obtained. Show employee was viewing FRA's Facebook page publcizing recent emergency order to Amtrak at the time of stumbling.
May 22, 2015
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