(The following story by Charles Hack appeared on the Jersey Journal website on August 8.)
HOBOKEN, N.J. — The woman operating the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail train that hit a 6-year-old girl and left her in critical condition did everything right, NJ Transit said yesterday after analyzing data from an onboard computer system.
The train was in normal brake mode as it approached the Ninth Street station, and the driver operated the emergency brakes when the girl entered the crosswalk – bringing the train’s speed down to around 13 mph on impact, NJ Transit spokesman Dan Stessel said. He also said the horn was sounded.
The train operator remains on paid administrative leave pending the conclusion of the NJ Transit police investigation, which will not be complete for another day or two, Stessel said.
“There is nothing to suggest anything by the operator contributed to the accident,” Stessel said.
The child, who suffered head injuries when hit by the train Monday at 10:45 a.m., is in critical but stable condition at UMDNJ, NJ Transit officials said. Hospital officials and NJ Transit refused to release her or her mother’s names.
The victim was catching a train with her mother and was hit crossing a level crosswalk at the south end of the station.A southbound train was waiting at the platform when the girl was struck by a northbound train that was pulling into the station, reports said.
The girl ended up in the space between wheels of the train and the platform, some 30 to 40 feet from the crosswalk, officials said.
Stessel said the bells and flashing lights had been activated.