GPS Device Blamed for Metro-North Mess

BEDFORD HILLS, NY (AP) -- A computer consultant from California apparently put too much faith in the GPS technology in his rental car: It didn't tell him to look both ways before driving onto tracks as a train barreled toward him.

The driver had turned right, as the Global Positioning System advised, and the car somehow got stuck on the tracks at the crossing. He jumped out and tried to warn the engineer by waving. He got out of the way just before the train slammed into the car at 60 mph, Metro-North railroad spokesman Dan Brucker said Thursday.

The car was pushed more than 100 feet during the fiery crash.

Some 500 train passengers were stranded for more than two hours during the Wednesday evening rush hour. The accident also heavily damaged 250 feet of rail, Brucker said.

The railroad identified the driver as Bai Bo, 32, of Sunnyvale, Calif. He did not immediately return a message requesting comment.