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Amtrak Crash Investigators Focusing on Engineer’s Cell Phone

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Amtrak Crash
Emergency personnel work at the scene of an Amtrak train wreck on May 12, 2015, in Philadelphia.Joseph Kaczmarek—AP
By Charlotte Alter

The National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation of last month’s deadly Amtrak crash outside Philadelphia is zeroing in on the engineer’s cell phone records after establishing that there were no mechanical problems that contributed to the accident.

According to a preliminary report released Tuesday, the NTSB has established that there were “no anomalies” in the train’s brake system, signals or track structure. Investigators have obtained engineer Brandon Bostian’s cell phone records and have established that calls and texts were made that day, but they’re still working to figure out whether he was on his phone as he was driving the train. Bostian suffered a head injury in the crash, and his lawyer has said he has no memory of what happened.

The NTSB also found damage to the train’s windshield, but couldn’t determine whether this came from rocks that were thrown at the train or from the crash itself. They found no evidence that the damage was caused by gunshots.

See Photos of the Amtrak Train Crash in Philadelphia

Emergency personnel work the scene of the Amtrak train wreck on May 12, 2015 in Philadelphia.
Emergency personnel work the scene of the Amtrak train wreck on May 12, 2015 in Philadelphia.Joseph Kaczmarek—AP
Emergency personnel work the scene of the Amtrak train wreck on May 12, 2015 in Philadelphia.
Emergency personnel work the scene of the Amtrak train wreck on May 12, 2015 in Philadelphia.Joseph Kaczmarek—AP
Emergency personnel help a passenger at the scene of the Amtrak train wreck on May 12, 2015 in Philadelphia.
Emergency personnel help a passenger at the scene of the Amtrak train wreck on May 12, 2015 in Philadelphia.Joseph Kaczmarek—AP
Rescue workers climb into the wreckage of a derailed Amtrak train to search for victims in Philadelphia on May 12, 2015.
Rescue workers climb into the wreckage of a derailed Amtrak train to search for victims in Philadelphia on May 12, 2015.Bryan Woolston—Reuters
Emergency personnel work the scene of a train wreck on May 12, 2015, in Philadelphia.
Emergency personnel work the scene of a train wreck on May 12, 2015, in Philadelphia.Joseph Kaczmarek—AP
Emergency personnel work the scene of the Amtrak train wreck on May 12, 2015 in Philadelphia.
Emergency personnel work the scene of the Amtrak train wreck on May 12, 2015 in Philadelphia.Joseph Kaczmarek—AP
A crime scene investigator looks inside a train car after a train wreck on May 12, 2015, in Philadelphia.
A crime scene investigator looks inside a train car after a train wreck on May 12, 2015, in Philadelphia.Joseph Kaczmarek—AP
A police officer takes a seat near the wreckage of an Amtrak passenger train which derailed in Philadelphia on May 12, 2015.
A police officer takes a seat near the wreckage of an Amtrak passenger train which derailed in Philadelphia on May 12, 2015.Mark Makela—Getty Images
Officials survey the site of a derailed Amtrak train in Philadelphia on May 13, 2015.
Officials survey the site of a derailed Amtrak train in Philadelphia on May 13, 2015. Mike Segar—Reuters

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Write to Charlotte Alter at charlotte.alter@time.com