Catching up on current events on your train ride is a great way to pass the time, but maybe not so much if you’re the person operating said train. A Metro-North engineer in New York has been suspended after a passenger caught him on video reading the newspaper at the controls during a rush hour train ride yesterday morning.

The video’s author notes in the YouTube description that the engineer looks down for almost 15 seconds to read the paper.

Metro-North said the employee has been taken out of service while the incident is being investigated, reports CBS New York. And starting today, all engineers have to report for retraining so they can be reminded what they can and can’t do while operating a train.

“Reading anything, texting or using cell phones while operating a train is totally unacceptable,” Metro-North spokesperson Marjorie Anders said. “Metro-North is taking action to prevent this kind of thing from ever happening again.”

Even if engineers totally ignore signals, officials say systems are in place that would stop trains if needed.

Metro-North: Engineer Seen On Video Reading While Operating Train Taken Out Of Service [CBS New York]
6/6/12 8:34am MetroNorth Train from Wakefield to GC Station with 8 packed cars. NYC [YouTube]

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