LOS ANGELES, Sept. 27 (UPI) -- Metrolink officials say adding a second engineer to commuter trains should increase safety in the wake of this month's deadly crash in Chatsworth, Calif.
Twenty-five people died and 135 were hurt Sept. 12 when a Metrolink train failed to heed a warning light and crashed head-on with a Union Pacific freight train in Chatsworth near Los Angeles.
In a move announced Friday, relief engineers will be added to some routes as an interim safety measure, said Metrolink Chief Executive David R. Solow.
The 10 to 15 backup engineers are to come from a pool of workers used to replace primary engineers who are on vacation, sick or in training, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Since the collision, local and state officials have pushed Metrolink to add safety measures, such as automatic braking devices, a video camera to monitor locomotive crews and devices that would slow or halt trains when warning signals are not heeded.
