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NTSB to probe teen's death at LIRR

BY ANDREW STRICKLER | Newsday Staff Writer

August 24, 2006

The recent death of a Minnesota teenager on the tracks of a Long Island Rail Road station in Queens - already under scrutiny by local and state officials - now has the attention of the federal government.

"We do have an investigator that is in New York looking into the cause of the accident on the Long Island Rail Road on Aug. 5," National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Terry Williams said last night.

Natalie Smead, 18, was killed at the Woodside Station after she fell through the space between the train and platform and was hit by an oncoming train after crawling under the platform. Recent reviews of gap widths by Newsday show the gap is as much as 15 inches wide at some LIRR stations.

The National Transportation Safety Board is an independent federal agency that investigates plane crashes and other civil transportation accidents.

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so tonight's accident victim was a graffiti "artist". ONLY the NY Times cares! Send his "parents" the bill for tying up working people trying to get home!

Submitted by Tired of it all

9:56 PM EST, Jan 5, 2007

tonights incident is the equivalent of "snow days" in the public school system! viva la mexico! if you see something, say something!

Submitted by Freeport

9:49 PM EST, Jan 5, 2007

one "accident" strands 200,000 commuters in their tracks! Makes you feel REAL confident about the homeland security & evacuation plans we continue to pay for!!!!

Submitted by Freeport

9:47 PM EST, Jan 5, 2007

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Vote: The LIRR gap problem

Do you think the LIRR is doing enough to take care of the gap problem?
Yes. I think the LIRR is doing what it can given some of the challenges. No. I think lawsuits will force more changes.
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Coverage: The LIRR gap
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LETTERS FROM LIRR RIDERS
Results of the courtesy survey

There are two New York State Department of Transportation investigations under way related to the accident and other safety issues on the LIRR and Metro-North Railroad. LIRR officials also have begun a separate census of gap widths at all 124 LIRR stations. Results of that is not expected until the end of the year.

The LIRR also has stepped up a public awareness campaign and is looking into installing movable platforms at problem stations to fill the gap.