Prosecutors investigate driver in railroad crash

Prosecutors say they are opening an investigation into the driver of a cargo train that was involved in a head-on crash that left 10 people dead and injured 23 others in eastern Germany on Saturday.

The prosecutors' office in Magdeburg said Monday that it was investigating the 41-year-old driver on suspicion of negligent homicide and bodily injury caused by negligence and endangerment of railroad traffic.

The office said witnesses told investigators the driver may have run through a stop signal and caused the crash.

Police said 10 of the 23 injured have been released from hospital, and a criminal investigation of the accident site in Hordorf has been finished. They said among the injured were two Georgians, one Portuguese and one Brazilian citizen.

Story provided by: taiwannews.com.tw

The Great Train Hoist: Derailed Train Re-railed

It took roughly three hours Thursday afternoon to re-rail a New Canaan branch train that slid into and over a bumper stop in New Canaan Station Wednesday night.

The train was scheduled to arrive at the station at 12:27 a.m. According to Metro-North Railroad spokeswoman Marjorie Anders, the engineer was facing white-out conditions entering the station, and when he attempted to bring the five-car train to a stop it slid on icy rails. The two leading wheels continued past the end of the track and onto the ground.

The train tore away the bumper stop, but did not reach Park Street.

A Metro-North wreck crew from North White Plains, N.Y., began the task of re-railing the two wheels at around 12:30 p.m.

Using a crane to lift the affected car, they aligned the derailed wheels with the track. A diesel-electric locomotive coupled to the other end of the train then gradually pulled it forward until the wheels were over the rails and the crane could lower them back onto the track.

Metro-North officials at the scene reported the wheels were re-railed at 2:10 p.m.

Anders said two passengers were on the train at the time of the accident and there were no injuries to them or the train crew.

The derailed car sustained major damage. A Metro-North employee at the scene said that after the lead car slid into and over the bumper stop, the jagged ends of the stop pierced the floor of the car. As a result, a railroad employee had to climb under the train and use a cutting torch to remove portions of the stop dug into the car's undercarriage.

At about 3:30 p.m., two diesel-locomotives pulled the train out of the station and towed it the railroad’s heavy repairs shop in Stamford.

Anders noted that, unfortunately, the damaged car is part of an M-6 triplet, meaning the accident caused the loss of three cars when the railroad is having difficulty finding enough cars to meet its schedules.

Anders said the train’s data recorder will be read, and its contents will be examined as part of Metro-North’s investigation of the accident.

Story provided by: newcanaan.patch.com

Railroad crackdown results in eight citations for trespassing

OPELOUSAS — St. Landry Parish authorities issued eight citations and issued three warnings for trespassing on railroad property, officials said Wednesday.

The crackdown was part of a joint effort by the St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Office, Union Pacific Railroad Police and the nonprofit Operation Lifesaver.


The citations were issued to motorists who allegedly failed to obey railroad crossing signals, or were in violation of safety laws at non-crossing railroad property, St. Landry Parish Capt. Jimmy Darbonne said.




"We're not doing this to write tickets," Darbonne said. "We're doing this to make people aware of the dangers of disobeying railroad signals, or walking on railroad tracks. They can get killed."



St. Landry Parish is one of 12 "target parishes" in Louisiana, because of the prevalence of train-related accidents here, said Pat Edwards, executive director and state coordinator for Louisiana Operation Lifesaver. From 2005 to 2009, there were 23 train-vehicle crashes in the parish, according to the Federal Railroad Administration.



Louisiana ranked sixth nationally in train-vehicle crashes. In the first 10 months of 2010, there were 93 such accidents in the state, with 13 fatalities and 54 injuries.


As for trespassing incidents — accidents on railroad tracks and property not at crossings — there were nine fatalities with six injured in the state.


Since 2005, the parish has made a concerted effort to increase awareness and education and, in turn, make railroad areas safer.



"We go everywhere from preschools to nursing homes, and we have a program for every age group," said St. Landry Parish Detective Eddie Thibodeaux. "We're just trying to make people aware of the dangers."


Darbonne said unmarked, unlit rail crossings are the most dangerous. He spent 22 years as a trooper in the Louisiana State Police, and has worked more than his share of train crashes.


"I was rising on one of these Operation Lifesaver events years ago, and the train hit a vehicle that tried to outrun it. It was terrible."



Operation Lifesaver is national, nonprofit education and awareness program dedicated to ending tragic collisions, fatalities and injuries at highway-rail grade crossings and on railroad rights of way.

Operation Lifesaver promotes education for public awareness at crossings, enforcement of the traffic laws relating to crossings, and Engineering for continued research and innovation to improve the safety of railroad crossings.


Operation Lifesaver checkpoints occur quarterly in the parish.


Violations of state law governing incidents on railroad tracks can carry up to 90 days in jail and fines of up to $500.

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CSX to Invest $2 Billion to Strengthen Its Rail Network

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. Jan. 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- CSX Corporation will invest $2 billion to increase the quality, flexibility and capacity of its rail network, the company announced as part of its quarterly and full-year earnings report today. That's on top of the $1.8 billion the company invested in 2010, a year in which operating income was $3.1 billion.

"CSX believes in the ability of the U.S. economy to continue growing and is committed to supporting its customers as that occurs," said Michael J. Ward, CSX chairman, president and chief executive officer. "This is an important time for CSX and other companies to take stock in what we need to do together to drive growth and increase U.S. competitiveness in the global marketplace while creating jobs."

The company also said today that it will increase employment by one to two percent in 2011 as business levels continue to return in an improving economy.  CSX currently employs 30,000 people who earn highly competitive wages and benefits.

CSX Corporation, based in Jacksonville, Fla., is a leading transportation company providing rail, intermodal and rail-to-truck transload services. The company's transportation network spans approximately 21,000 miles with service to 23 eastern states and the District of Columbia, and connects to more than 70 ocean, river and lake ports.

Story provided by: usrailroadnews.com

Injured Railroad Workers Face Challenges When Hurt on the Job

Injured Railroad Workers Face Challenges When Hurt on the Job

Railroad employees often perform dangerous work in environments rife with potential for disaster. In the early 1900s, work conditions for rail employees were so hazardous that Congress passed the Federal Employment Liability Act, commonly known as FELA. FELA provides a uniform system of safety expectations and legal redress for railroad workers injured on the job.

However, a recent investigation conducted by the Minneapolis Star Tribune and nonprofit journalism organization ProPublica found that injured railway workers increasingly face significant challenges in obtaining compensation for their injuries. In several lawsuits against a major railroad company for employee injuries, key evidence has been lost or destroyed in the hands of the railroad company.

Federal Employment Liability Act (FELA)

Employees covered by FELA are not covered by the regular workers' compensation statute. Instead, rail workers injured on the job must pursue a claim for legal compensation through FELA.

Through a FELA lawsuit, an injured rail worker may obtain compensation for:
-Past and future medical treatment
-Past and future wage loss
-Past and future pain, suffering and mental distress.

Generally, under workers' compensation, anyone injured while working is compensated, regardless of who was at fault for the injury. Unlike workers' compensation, FELA states that railroad companies are liable for injuries to their employees only if the railroad company was negligent or failed to meet applicable safety standards.

Comparative Negligence for Injured Railroad Workers

In addition, the amount of money an injured rail worker receives for a successful FELA claim is reduced by the worker's percentage of fault in causing the accident. For example, after a trial, a jury may award $100,000 to an injured a railroad worker. Because FELA uses a system called comparative negligence, the jury will then allocate the percentage of fault between the injured worker and the railroad company. If the jury finds the employee is 25 percent at fault, the award will be reduced by 25 percent to $75,000.

Railroad Injury Statistics and Liability Costs

The Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Company (BNSF) operates one of the largest railroad networks in the U.S. The company moves freight throughout the U.S. and Canada, generating $14 billion in revenue in 2009, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune also reported that accidents and work injuries are a significant expense for BNSF; its insurance subsidiary paid more than $100 million each year to resolve legal claims against BNSF from 2007 to 2009.

According to the Federal Railroad Administration, more than 500 people have been killed and almost 1,700 injured in about 4,100 accidents involving BNSF trains or crossings in the last 10 years. BNSF stated that civil judgments against the company were issued in 118 cases over the same time period.

Rail Companies' Legal Misconduct

According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune and ProPublica injured BNSF employees have encountered significant difficulty in litigation with the railroad company since 2000.

BNSF or its lawyers have been cited for legal misconduct in 13 cases involving train collisions or workplace injuries, primarily for obstructive discovery practices including losing, withholding or destroying evidence. In four cases, judges declared mistrials or ordered new trials because the company or its lawyers had engaged in significant misconduct.

One example of losing evidence comes from a Kansas case, in which BNSF was accused of removing evidence from an accident scene where a company brakeman was severely injured when hit by a train. Two BNSF crew members testified during trial that a supervisor said he would keep an oncoming train out of the work area. BNSF claimed that the crew was never told the train would be held, and it faulted the brakeman for stepping into the train's path.

According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, BNSF did not locate the brakeman's two-way radio the night of the accident and then later lost the radio when someone found it and turned it in. Since one of the key issues in the case was the brakeman's location was when he struck, having the radio would have helped accident-reconstruction experts determine where exactly he was. In addition to losing this key evidence, BNSF gave conflicting answers as to whether its workers marked the place on the tracks where the train stopped, which also would have assisted with the accident reconstruction.

Another example of lost evidence comes from a case in Missouri, in which BNSF lost the ladder involved in an employee accident. A worker was cleaning windows in a locomotive shop when he claimed his ladder collapsed, requiring him to have back surgery and take narcotics for chronic pain.

During the trial, BNSF offered another ladder as evidence to prove the ladder was in safe working condition. After the injured cleaner testified that the substitute ladder was completely different from the ladder he was using at the time of his injury, the judge refused to allow it as evidence, reported the newspaper. The jury awarded the worker $5.5 million, an award that was later upheld by the Missouri Court of Appeals.

BNSF is not the only railroad company cited for misconduct in legal proceedings. According to a 2004 New York Times report, Union Pacific was sanctioned seven times for destroying or failing to preserve evidence from July 2001 to January 2003.

As the Minneapolis Star Tribune and ProPublica investigation demonstrates, lawsuits against railroad companies can be challenging. Therefore, the assistance of a lawyer experienced in FELA claims and railroad injury cases is invaluable. If you or a loved one has been injured while working for a railroad company, contact an attorney experienced in handling FELA claims to discuss your legal options.

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Metro may face legal action over train crash

VICTORIA'S transport safety watchdog is considering legal action against rail operator Metro and one of its drivers over a collision near Craigieburn last year in which a Melbourne suburban train rammed into a stationery freight train.

The driver of the suburban train failed to follow signalling rules, which required him to be travelling at 25 km/h - instead of about 60 km/h.

Investigations into the crash by both Public Transport Safety Victoria (PTSV) and the Department of Transport's chief investigator are complete, and may be released as soon as tomorrow.

 

Metro has already been forced to pay $1.9 million to repair the damage done to the suburban Comeng train that was involved in the crash.

PTSV director Alan Osborne told The Age he was in discussion with barristers about legal action against ''the parties'' involved in the incident.

He said his investigation had focused on ''whether Metro and the driver did the job they should have done in terms of the Rail Safety Act''.

Five of the suburban train's 15 passengers were hospitalised and rail services were stopped for at least two days after the collision in May last year. The outbound Pacific National freight train had stopped at a red light signal near Craigieburn station.

Metro sacked its driver concerned for failing to stop at a red signal, exceeding the 25 km/h speed limit, and for failing to co-operate with the investigation into the crash.

Mr Osborne said he was considering action against ''all parties'', an apparent reference to both the driver and Metro as the operator of the rail system.

''I am not saying I am targeting Metro in any one specific sense but I'm looking very seriously at 'were all the right things done'?''

The Craigieburn crash was one of a series of rail safety scares on the Melbourne network last year. In March last year, after a signalling failure, a Metro train collided with a freight train at Ringwood station. A report released by the chief investigator this week found poor communication among rail staff had contributed to the accident.

A report by Metro in 2009, before it took over from Connex, warned the former Brumby government that Melbourne's poor rail conditions ''have the potential to cause derailment of trains … with catastrophic consequences''.

Story provided by: theage.com.au

Ex-railman averts train accident

JODHPUR: A retired railway employee saved lives of more than 1,000 passengers of Ranakpur Express, travelling between Bandra and Bikaner, by alerting the driver to a fracture in the railway track near Rajasthan's Rajkiawas station.

On Monday, Ranakpur Express (Train no. 4708) crossed Marwar junction and was heading towards Pali around 8.30am. When it was close to Rajkiawas station, the driver saw an old man rushing towards the train waving a saffron cloth. The driver immediately stopped the train.

While on his way to the farm, Tulsi Ram, a septuagenerian, had spotted a fracture on the track and was frantically waving at the driver to stop the train. "I knew the Ranakpur Express was about to cross the way. If the train crossed that stretch, there would have been accident causing loss of lives and property. So, I ran to stop the train," Tulsi Ram said.

The passengers gave cash reward to Tulsi Ram for averting an accident. However, the railways is yet to acknowledge its former employee's effort.

Story provided by: timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Train derails on Elgin south side

 

Elgin and railroad officials were on the scene of a freight train derailment Sunday afternoon that toppled several cars along tracks on the city’s south side. | Bill O'Neill~For Sun-Times Media

ELGIN — Metra commuters on the Milwaukee West line experienced minor delays Monday morning after a derailment Sunday afternoon “mangled” a portion of the tracks on Elgin’s south side. According to the Metra web site, the Train No. 2228, secheduled to leave Big Timber at 8:36 a.m,. was delayed 14 to 17 minutes.

Eight cars, all carrying steel cables, derailed just before 2 p.m. on the Milwaukee West line, a Canadian Pacific Railroad line, at Raymond Street and Purify Drive — the entrance to the Fox River Water Reclamation District plant.

According to the Metra web site, the Train No. 2228, secheduled to leave Big Timber at 8:36 a.m,. was delayed 14 to 17 minutes Monday morning.

According to Elgin police public information officer Sue Olafson, a passerby reported the derailment before the railroad reported the accident. While the 71-car train was carrying some hazardous materials, none of those cars was involved, and no injuries were reported, authorities said.

The train was westbound when the derailment occurred, Olafson said. Officials from the Canadian Pacific Railroad and Metra commuter rail agency were investigating the cause, and she was not aware whether the National Transportation Safety Board would also become involved in any investigation.

As of Sunday afternoon, all Metra passengers were being bused from the Bartlett station to Elgin’s National and Chicago Street stations (Metra does not run to the Big Timber station on Sunday). And busing may have to continue through Monday, officials said.

Police blocked off Raymond Street between Bluff City Boulevard and Kenyon Road, and St. Charles Street from Elgin Avenue to Kenyon Road, while the cars were removed and the rails replaced.

It was unknown as of about 5:30 p.m. whether the Bears game might mean more people taking the train out of Chicago on Sunday, added Metra spokesperson Meg Reile. “I don’t know how many went down for the Bears game, but we will be busing them back. It may take a little longer, and we have less-frequent service on Sunday, so … . It would have been a far bigger impact if (the derailment) had been a weekday before evening rush.”

Once the derailed cars were out of the way, crews were to replace the damaged track, she said. “We will work through the night, but we don’t know about tomorrow’s rush,” commuting times or schedules, Reile said.

She encouraged riders to check TV and radio reports in the morning to find out what the schedule might be. Riders also can sign up on the Metrarail.com website for service updates. “A MyMetra account can get notices to e-mail or cell phones for status of their services,” Reile said. “We do offer updates for select line and individual stations.”

Elgin police are seeking any witnesses to the train derailment and asked anyone with information to call 847-289-2700.

Story provided by: couriernews.suntimes.com

Nebraska Man Injured in Train Car Accident

Omaha, NE: An Omaha, Nebraska man was recently injured in a train car accident when he became stuck between a guardrail and the car at the MidAmerican power plant in Iowa, the Omaha World-Herald reports.

Michael D. McGillen Jr., 28, was brought to the Creighton University Medical Center by a medical helicopter in critical condition. According to Dwayne Riche of the Pottawattamie County Sheriff's Office, rescue officials arrived at the scene at approximately 3:00 am.

McGillen is reportedly an Iowa Interstate Railroad employee, according to the news provider.

Riche explained that the train car was backing up toward an entrance to Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy (SIRE), located on the power plant's property. The train then reportedly went through a closed gate and bent a guardrail, causing McGillen to be pinned. Riche added that the gate was supposed to have been opened up by an employee at SIRE.

After employees could not free McGillen, Lewis Township Rescue workers removed the guardrail in order to get him out, the news provider said.

According to the The Associated Press, the Iowa Interstate Railroad is investigating the accident.

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Tractor Trailer Driver Dead after Pulling Rig in Front of Amtrak Train Bound for New York City

The driver of a tractor-trailer is dead today after driving his rig around the railroad crossing gates and into the path of a passenger train, says an article by Associated Press.

51-year-old Randolph Todd, of Sheppard, TX, disregarded railroad flashing warning lights and drove his tractor-trailer around the closed railroad crossing gates in Dunkirk, NY in Chautauqua County. An Amtrak passenger train carrying 236 passengers and 16 crew struck Todd’s tractor-trailer in the passenger side of the cab as it crossed the tracks. The impact cut the tractor-trailer in half, leaving parts on each side of the tracks.

The coroner pronounced Todd dead on the scene, reports Buffalo News.

Todd was delivering chicken to the Nestle Purina manufacturing facility just yards from the railroad crossing where the accident occurred.

Involved in the crash was Amtrak’s Lake Shore Limited en route from Chicago to New York City. The passengers and crew were uninjured. Train passengers remained on the train for five hours during the accident investigation and while waiting for a new engine to replace the damaged one.

Lew Thompson & Son Trucking of Huntsville, Ark owned the tractor-trailer.

Story provided by: newyorkcity.injuryboard.com

Driver slides on snowy hill, crashes on Light Rail tracks

TUKWILA, Wash. – The driver of a car on a snowy, slick hill lost control and ended up crashing onto the Sound Transit Central Link Light Rail tracks Tuesday night, causing a disruption in train service.

The accident happened around 9 p.m. along Interstate 5 at S. 144th Street.
Tukwila Police say the car was headed eastbound on S. 144th Street, which is a large hill. The car slid through an intersection, over an embankment and onto the tracks The car ended up on its roof.
The driver was able to get out and was not seriously hurt.

Sound Transit set up a bus bridge to ferry Light Rail riders between the Airport, Tukwila and Rainier Beach stations. Service was back to normal by 11 p.m.

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Train accident in Ralston

Ralston, Iowa -- No injuries are being reported and there is only minor damage after a Union Pacific Freight Train hit a locomotive on the main tracks near a grain elevator in Ralston. The accident happened around 9:00 a.m. Monday when the locomotive left the elevator to go on the main line. The freight train was headed from Chicago to California while hauling 76 cars full of vehicles and was going about 20 mph. There was no derailment.

Train vs. semi

A BNSF train struck a semitrailer Friday afternoon, but the driver received only minor injuries and was not taken to a hospital.

Photo by NIck Adams

A BNSF train accident that happened on Abingdon Street just south of 3rd Street on Friday.

Truck driver Kevin Kniss, 54, Lanark, was headed to the ADM facility at 1021 S. Henderson St. when he was struck by a slow-moving westbound train while crossing the tracks. The accident occurred at 1:09 p.m. on Abingdon Street south of Third Street. The driver received only minor injuries and was not taken to a hospital. 

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A train wreck of a decision

It's easy enough to miss a train. You just show up late at the depot.

But how do you miss - i.e., not see -- a train that's bearing down on you at a crossing? Even Johnny Cash in his Folsom Prison cell heard the train a-coming.

Sure, your car might stall on the tracks, or you might miscalculate trying to beat the train to the crossing. But, unless you're not paying attention, you're not likely to miss a train coming down on you.

Guy Webb sure did, though. He drove his truck onto a private crossing in Iron County, Mo. in 2007 and collided with a Union Pacific train. Guy suffered massive injuries and his brother, James, in the passenger seat, was killed.

Guy Webb blamed Union Pacific for the accident and sued the railroad. James Webb's daughter, Misty, decided her uncle was at least partly to blame. She sued the railroad and her uncle. The uncle settled with his niece and the two joined forces against Union Pacific.

Armed with video footage of the accident from a camera mounted on the train, the railroad argued that Guy Webb ran a stop sign posted at the private crossing, stopped on the company's tracks, and then accelerated into the train. Union Pacific also contended that both Webb brothers were under the influence of the drug Ecstasy at the time.

Madison County Circuit Judge Andreas Matoesian refused to allow evidence of the brothers' drug use and rejected the railroad's crucial distinction between private and public crossings, which require different levels of caution. As a result, the jury found in favor of the Webbs.

Union Pacific is appealing the $1.25 million judgment, arguing that the distinction between public and private crossings is the essential question in the case.

You've got to wonder how Judge Matoesian could miss something so obvious. It's almost like missing a train.

Story provided by: stclairrecord.com

Police identify victims in fatal car-train crash

Police have released the names of the men involved in a car-train collision in the Township of Montague on Wednesday. Logan Stoddard, 21, of Smiths Falls was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. Elmer Miller, 26, of Montague Township was taken to Smiths Falls Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The accident, involving a freight train, happened at 12:45 p.m.

Story provided by: ottawacitizen.com

Train Accident Victim Identified

16-Year-Old Humberto Moreno Wearing Headphones at Time of Accident

The victim of the train accident that occurred near the Fairview Avenue overpass in Goleta yesterday has been identified as 16-year-old Humberto Moreno, a local high school student. He lived in the unincorporated area of Santa Barbara just outside Goleta city limits.

The incident is being classified as an accident, said Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Department spokesperson Brad McVay, and investigators are still trying to find the other individuals who were seen on the tracks with the victim yesterday.

Moreno, reported McVay, was in the possession of an MP3 player and had headphones on, but it’s not known if that had anything to do with the accident.

Story provided by: independent.com

Teen killed trying to ''beat train'' across tracks

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- State Police called the Lincoln County incident where a local teen lost his life trying to beat a train at an intersection "a horrible accident."

Trooper S.L Bartram said it happened about 8 p.m. Monday on Nine Mile Creek Road in the Midkiff area. A 16-year-old Branchland boy was driving alone in a 2000 Chevrolet Blazer heading east on the road coming from W.Va. 10 when he came to a train crossing, where a southbound CSX train was approaching.

The boy tried to speed up in effort to beat the train to the crossing, troopers said, but he didn't make it.

Bartram said the train struck the SUV, killing the boy inside.

The train had been going roughly 35 mph and tried to stop when the workers spotted the vehicle. Bartram said no injuries were reported aboard the train, but workers were shaken up from the incident.

"They hit the brakes," Bartram said. "They did the best they could stopping the train but it takes about a mile to stop them."

The trooper said the crash appears to be "a total accident," and that there were no indications to lead them to believe otherwise.

Bartram urged motorists to use caution when approaching railroad crossings and to stop if a train is approaching.

"Don't try to beat a train," he said. "Honest to God, if you see a train coming you should stop. Not only is it the law but it's just plain common sense."

Troopers have not released the boy's name, but multiple postings on the social networking website Facebook identify the teen as James Sias.

Story provided by: dailymail.com

WMATA receives $150 million from FTA for safety repairs

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) has received a $150 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Federal Transit Administration to replace old "1000-Series" rail cars.

Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia will provide $150 million in matching local funds to help pay for the car replacements, USDOT officials said in a prepared statement.

The National Transportation Safety Board previously cited the 1000-Series cars as a contributing factor to the number of fatalities and the severity of passengers' injuries caused by a June 2009 Red Line train accident near Fort Totten Station.

About $79.3 million of the grant will be used to buy as many as 300 new 7000-Series rail cars; WMATA will use $44.4 million to pay for track rehabilitation and apply the remainder toward other infrastructure projects, such as Metrorail station improvements, rehabilitation of track maintenance equipment, replacement of track switching equipment, and elevator and escalator repairs.

Story provided by: progressiverailroading.com