Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal to introduce rail safety bill

WEST HAVEN -- Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal says he will introduce federal legislation aimed at improving rail safety.

The Democrat was expected to announce the new legislation during a news conference Tuesday in West Haven. John Hartwell, vice president of the Connecticut Commuter Rail Council, and commuter advocate Jim Cameron, are also scheduled to be on hand.

In May, Connecticut Reps. Rosa DeLauro, Jim Himes and Elizabeth Esty and New York Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney proposed legislation to improve rail safety following two accidents that killed a track worker in Connecticut and four passengers in New York.

Their proposal required automatic fail-safe device that sounds an alarm when a train engineer seems idle while the train is in motion.

Metro-North said the railroad was already addressing various components of the representatives' proposed legislation.