What caused the Metro-North train to derail Sunday at 7:20 a.m. is not known, though the train operator pointed to faulty brakes. 63 of the 100 to 150 people onboard were injured, 11 critically, in the city's deadliest train crash in two decades.
The seven-car southbound Metro North train originated in Poughkeepsie and was pushed by a locomotive in the rear, headed to Grand Central Station. It derailed just north of the "Spuyten Duyvil station near where tracks pass under the Henry Hudson Bridge," write Matt Flegenheimer and J. David Goodman.
See slide 7 of 14 that also shows the convergence of the Harlem and Hudson Rivers]. Note the sharp curve. All seven cars of the train derailed; one just feet away from the Harlem River.
A senior city official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the train operator had told emergency medical workers that the brakes had failed, but that the operator’s account had not been confirmed.
"The Metro-North's Hudson line serves New York City and Westchester, Putnam, and Dutchess counties, ending in Poughkeepsie," according to a USA Today article that features a video with audio of the crash scene. Gov. Andrew Cuomo was at the scene. The paper notes that Spuyten Duyvil is Dutch for "devil's spout."
According to the CBS article, which features several audio and one video tape of the crash scene, "National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigators arrived on the scene Sunday afternoon, and their probe is expected to last a week to 10 days, said Earl Weener of the NTSB.
MTA spokeswoman Marjorie Anders said the big curve where the derailment occurred is in a slow speed area. The black box should be able to tell how fast the train was traveling, Anders said.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), which operates Metro-North and the Long Island Rail Road, issued this report for its customers:
For Monday, December 2, limited Hudson Line service will operate due to the train derailment in the vicinity of Spuyten Duyvil station. See full service details.
Metro-North experienced a serious crash in Connecticut last May when two trains collided.
FULL STORY: 4 Dead in Metro-North Train Derailment in the Bronx

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

Defunct Pittsburgh Power Plant to Become Residential Tower
A decommissioned steam heat plant will be redeveloped into almost 100 affordable housing units.

Trump Prompts Restructuring of Transportation Research Board in “Unprecedented Overreach”
The TRB has eliminated more than half of its committees including those focused on climate, equity, and cities.

Amtrak Rolls Out New Orleans to Alabama “Mardi Gras” Train
The new service will operate morning and evening departures between Mobile and New Orleans.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont