NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – An ex-LIRR employee pleaded guilty Friday for fabricating an inspection report of a rail bond that was later connected to a 2019 derailment on Long Island, the Department of Justice said.
“Falsifying inspection reports puts the safety of the public and MTA employees and property at risk,” MTA Inspector General Daniel G. Cort said.
Stuart Conklin, 66, worked for the LIRR as a signalman, whose duties included conducting regular inspections of rail bonds. Rail bonds are electric jumpers at the joints of railroad tracks that maintain continuity of conductivity for signal currents.
On April 26, 2019, Conklin inaccurately indicated in a report that he assessed a specific rail bond in Speonk, Suffolk County, and that it passed inspection, the U.S. District Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York said.
The DOJ confirmed that LIRR surveillance footage showed that Conklin did not check the rail bond while at work that day.
A month later, on May 23, a westbound LIRR train crashed into the rear of an eastbound train in Speonk.
The crash was possible because the back of the westbound train was not able to register that it was taking up a section of the track in the LIRR signal system. Authorities said this caused the eastbound train to get cleared to pass on the main track when there was not appropriate space.
A LIRR investigation held after the derailment found that the rail bond Conklin claimed he inspected was broken and was the cause of the signal malfunction and subsequent crash, the DOJ said.
“As dramatically evidenced by the derailment, the rail bond Conklin falsely claimed to have inspected was a critical piece of rail road equipment, essential to ensuring the safety of passengers,” said United States Attorney Breon Peace.
“While thankfully no one was seriously hurt in this accident, it is a stark reminder of the importance federal oversight plays in the safety and integrity of our transportation system,” Peace added.
Conklin, of Magnolia, TX, was first charged in March 2021 and was indicted in April 2022. His sentencing will be held on May 17.