U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn. on Monday issued a statement after, he said, touring the site of Sunday's Metro-North derailment with representatives of the National Transportation Safety Board.

 

 This is the statement, unedited here:

 

“The fact that this train left the tracks at 82 miles per hour is absolutely harrowing and appalling. Our visit to the site was bone chilling. Whatever the cause – operator error or equipment malfunction – this train was going far too fast. This serious incident is the fifth for Metro-North in just more than six months, raising urgent questions about safety and reliability that the railroad must confront. I renewed my call to NTSB officials today for an expedited investigation and report. The faith of Metro-North's riders is on the line.”