— The disability rate rose markedly with age.
Ireland's 2006 census found a disability rate of 9.3%.
Work-related injuries and illnesses do not explain the high disability rate.
The L.I.R.R.'s disability rate suggests it is one of the nation's most dangerous places to work.
B.N.S.F.'s disability rate is lower than the L.I.R.R.'s, but even so, Mr. Lifto said, disabilities still cost his company millions of dollars.
Mr. Cuomo began his investigation after The New York Times reported in September that the L.I.R.R. had a disability rate three to four times that of the average railroad.
But the disability rate is higher among L.I.R.R. workers because they have a contract that allows them to retire as early as age 50 with a company pension and also collect federal disability payments.
In September, The New York Times reported that more than 90percentt of all career employees at the Long Island Rail Road retire early and then apply for disability payments — by far the highest disability rate among the nation's railroads.
The L.I.R.R.'s disability rate, which since 2000 has ranged between 93percentand97percentcent for retired career employees, is three to four times that of the average railroad.
The Times articles reported that virtually every career employee of the railroad was applying for and receiving disability payments, giving the Long Island Rail Road a disability rate three to four times that of the average railroad.
An investigation by The New York Times in 2008 showed that nearly every career employee of the railroad was receiving disability payments, giving the Long Island Rail Road a disability rate three to four times that of the average railroad.
