train derailment told first responders he was dozing off just before the crash. every indication he would have had time to get full restorative sleep. reporter: investigators who combed the wreckage found no problems with the train signals along the routes or the brakes. based on this data, there s no indication that the brake systems were not functioning properly. reporter: sources tell abc news that human error was likely the cause of the crash that killed four and injured more than 60 early sunday morning. investigators say rockefeller, a metro north engineer for ten years, drove that train down the tracks at 82 miles an hour. almost three times faster than the speed limit at that curve. investigators say he slammed on the brakes just five seconds before it derailed. the train was not equipped with a system that would have automatically slowed it down if it was going too fast. that technology exists. it is called positive train control. if this technology was in place, would
restorative sleep. reporter: they say the eng e engineer is cooperating. he s a strong man and it takes a strong man to come down and be honest, and that s what billy is doing. reporter: on the question of the brakes, rockefeller claimed they didn t work at the time of the crash. we ve determined that the metro north mechanical department performed a proper brake test prior to the accident train leaving the station, and there were no alom knees noted. based on this data, there is no indication the brake systems were not functioning properly. reporter: the facts, 82 miles per hour on a 30 per mile hour curve, the apart braking came to relsz disturbing. the numbers are disturbing. the question is why they were so high. what is known, rockefeller passed a breathalyzer and had not been using his cell phone in
sometimes you have a momentary nod. how long that was, i don t know. but he caught himself too late. reporter: andrew cuomo said this to a public radio station. there was no track problem or equipment failure. and this is a serious situation. the operator has rights, but there s questions of liability. major train wreck. five cars on their side. reporter: federal investigators say the train was traveling 82 miles an hour in a curved stretch of track zoned for 30. the brakes weren t applied until seconds before the train came to a stop. simply put, based on this data, there s no indication that the brake systems were not functioning properly. alcohol tests for the engineer have come back negative.
batman tun t batman tundra cart can be yours. the commuter rail line should be back on line this morning as details emerge. the driver nodded off at the switch. moments after the accident, rockefeller told police he zoned out. this as the train was barrelling towards the tracks on a sharp turn. it was coming in an area cleared for half that speed. but when the train was going 82 miles per hour by then, that s nearly triple the speed limit, and by the time the engineer slammed on the brakes, it was simply too latement now investigators are eyeing rockefeller who is described as having a stellar record. his lawyer notes he changed his work schedule to an earlier 5:00 a.m. time just two weeks briar prior to the accident. there is every indication that he would have time to get full sleep. based on these data, there s no indication that the brake
reporter: they say the engineer is cooperating. he s a strong man and it takes a strong man to come down and be honest, and that s what billy is doing. reporter: on the question of the brakes, rockefeller claimed they didn t work at the time of the crash. we ve determined that the metro north mechanical department performed a proper brake test prior to the accident train leaving the station, and there were no alom knees noted. based on this data, there is no indication the brake systems were not functioning properly. reporter: the facts, 82 miles per hour on a 30 per mile hour curve, the apart braking came to relsz disturbing. the numbers are disturbing. the question is why they were so high. what is known, rockefeller passed a breathalyzer and had not been using his cell phone in