Train Engineer Was Dazed Before Crash, Lawyer Says

Hours after crews cleared derailed cars from the scene of Sunday's fatal Metro-North Railroad crash in the Bronx, investigators on Tuesday turned a closer eye toward the engineer's possible inattention before the derailment.

A law enforcement official briefed on an account provided by the engineer, William Rockefeller, said that Mr. Rockefeller did not appear to have been fully focused shortly before his train barreled into a sharp curve at 82 miles per hour - nearly three times the speed allowed through the curve, just north of the Spuyten Duyvil station.

Four people were killed and more than 70 were injured in the crash early Sunday morning.

The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because various investigations were still continuing, added that immediately after the derailment, investigators asked Mr. Rockefeller if he had been drinking, and he said that he had not. The official said that the investigators who spoke to him reported that he did not appear to be drunk or on drugs.

The official said that a preliminary examination of Mr. Rockefeller's phone by detectives from the New York City and Metropolitan Transportation Authority police did not seem to indicate that he had been texting or on a call. But the official added that investigators, as part of a parallel inquiry, were going to review data from nearby cell sites to conclusively determine whether he had been using the phone that was seized, or possibly another device.

Another source familiar with Mr. Rockefeller's account said that the engineer described being 'almost hypnotized' or in a temporary trance.

'That place where you're not asleep and you're not 100 percent awake,' he said.

Officials have said that Mr. Rockefeller performed an emergency braking maneuver when he realized the train was heading into the curve too quickly.

The source added that Mr. Rockefeller had not, to his knowledge, attributed the crash to any sort of brake malfunction.

Earl Weener, a board member with the National Transportation Safety Board, said at a news conference on Monday that investigators were 'not aware of any problems or anomalies with the brakes.' Senator Charles E. Schumer added that he had been told that the tracks were in proper condition before the derailment.

The safety board, which is leading the investigation, has cautioned that it remains unclear if human error or faulty equipment was responsible.

Asked about Mr. Rockefeller's possible culpability in a radio interview with WNYC on Tuesday, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said, 'The operator has rights, but there's all sorts of liability questions.'

Mr. Cuomo said on Monday that he expected to see Metro-North service restored toward the end of the week, though officials said there was no definitive timetable for full service.

The authority said that all rail cars had been cleared from the tracks on Monday night. Marjorie Anders, a spokeswoman for the agency, said that crews worked through the night to clear debris, remove ballast - the stone between ties - and begin laying new ties. A specialized device called a 'Rail Vac' was being used to vacuum stone from between ties, she said.

About 900 gallons of diesel fuel were siphoned from the locomotive before its removal, Ms. Anders said, but a 'small amount' spilled in the accident. She said that workers had begun a cleanup effort.

The tracks were in varying states of disrepair. The track farthest inland was essentially undamaged, Ms. Anders said; the middle track was being worked on first and will need to be almost completely rebuilt. Crews must also perform significant work on the track closest to the river.

William K. Rashbaum and Nate Schweber contributed reporting.