Mclean Patch - Comstock Seeks Answers to Amtrak #188 Crash at Hearing

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By Mary Ann Barton

Congresswoman Barbara Comstock (R-10th), seeking answers Tuesday morning to the recent derailment of Amtrak #188 that killed eight people, expressed frustration Tuesday during the first congressional hearing into the matter.

Specifically, she wanted to know whether the engineer was on his cell phone at the time of the derailment.

Approximately 238 passengers and 5 crew members were on board. Eight people died and dozens were injured as a result of the Amtrak crash.The train was on its way from DC to New York, traveling at more than 106 mph when it derailed at a sharp turn in the track, authorities said.

Several members of Congress asked the same questions as Comstock, whether the engineer was using his phone at the time of the derailment. Christopher Hart, NTSB chair, said there have been complications with examining the engineer's phone because it was set at different time zones and there were time zone discrepancies within the phone carrier's records.

The engineer of Amtrak #188, Brandon Bostian, 32, has told federal investigators that he does not remember anything about the crash. His lawyer has said that the cellphone was put away in a bag.

"Three weeks after, why can't we take those 11 minutes and have a timeline?" Comstock asked Tuesday. "I just don't understand what the holdup is."

Officials from the National Transportation Safety Board, the Federal Railroad Administration, Amtrak, and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen testified Tuesday before the committee.

Comstock asked if the engineer's phone was turned off and stored, as required. Hart, the NTSB chair, said that the engineer's phone was in the cabin, but there are still questions about whether it was being used or not.

Comstock suggested that phones not be allowed in the cabin, period. "Why isn't that done?" she asked.

The hearing was hosted Tuesday by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Watch the entire hearing online on C-SPAN.

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