Railroad Crossing Accident Attorney http://railroadcrossingaccidentattorney.com Railroad Crossing Accident Attorney - Train Crash Injury and Wrongful Death Law Firm Thu, 27 Sep 2018 00:31:33 +0000 en-US hourly 1 Indiana pushing Rail Safety Week to save lives http://railroadcrossingaccidentattorney.com/uncategorized/indiana-pushing-rail-safety-week-to-save-lives/ http://railroadcrossingaccidentattorney.com/uncategorized/indiana-pushing-rail-safety-week-to-save-lives/#respond Thu, 27 Sep 2018 00:31:33 +0000 http://railroadcrossingaccidentattorney.com/?p=761 Indiana Railroad Accident Attorney

Recent deaths involving railroad trains and auto drivers has the state of Indiana working hard to promote Rail Safety Week. By spreading awareness, they hope to save lives.

Indiana ranks sixth nationwide for railroad crossing collisions. Statistics from 2017 indicate that 101 accidents were reported, ending in 47 injuries and 12 deaths. Additionally, 10 pedestrians were killed and nine more injured last year. Clark County saw five train-vehicle collisions, causing three deaths and four injuries. No deaths or injuries were reported in Jackson, Floyd or Scott Counties.

As part of Indiana Rail Safety Week, which was promoted by Gov. Eric Holcomb, Indiana State Police team up with railroad companies, Indiana Department of Transportation and Indiana Operation Lifesaver to post extra warning signs near historically dangerous crossings. The signs read “See Tracks? Think Train.”

Promoters of railroad crossing safety say that the primary reasons for railroad accidents are from ignoring railroad crossings, complacency, distractions and being in a hurry. Drivers cross tracks so many times daily that they get use to never seeing a train, hear a train, and nothing occurs. Then out of the blue, a train comes flying down the tracks taking complacent drivers by surprise. Most dangerous intersections are those without a crossing arm or flashing lights. Drivers tend not to stop at crossings with only a stop sign or white marker. They seem to forget that its there.

In addition to awareness of the crossings and its dangers, part of Rail Safety Week is to remind folks that there is a punitive side of violating traffic laws by not stopping and obeying railroad signals and signs. Drivers will be ticketed when caught, especially when driving around dropped railroad arm gates. Such an infraction could result in a minimum fine of $150.

Finally, awareness efforts are targeting pedestrians, especially those found walking along train tracks. Yes, it is against the law. Those who do so can be arrested and charged for trespassing. There were 10 pedestrians killed and nine injured in 2017.

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Two killed when train crashes into truck at Texas crossing http://railroadcrossingaccidentattorney.com/railroad-crossing-accident-deaths/two-killed-when-train-crashes-into-truck-at-texas-crossing/ http://railroadcrossingaccidentattorney.com/railroad-crossing-accident-deaths/two-killed-when-train-crashes-into-truck-at-texas-crossing/#respond Wed, 29 Aug 2018 20:55:13 +0000 http://railroadcrossingaccidentattorney.com/?p=756 Texas Train Accident Lawyer

Yet another tragic accident involving a train and vehicle collision occurred in Texas last Saturday, August 25, 2018.

Two people in a commercial dump truck were killed when their vehicle was hit by a train in Fort Worth, Texas.  The crash occurred on Calloway Cemetery Road with a Trinity Railway Express train.  According to news reports, a spokesperson for the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) said the person driving the truck went through the crossing arm that had come down.  Reportedly, the dump truck ignored the warning lights, bells and crossing arms at the train track crossing.

The spokesperson for DART said in news reports that the authorized speed for the train is 79 mph in that area. Investigators haven’t confirmed what the train’s speed was at the time of the crash. The warning lights at the crossing go off about 47 seconds before the train enters the crossing. In this case, with the crossing arms reportedly down, there would not have been much time for the train to brake.

Two people inside the train at the time had critical injuries. Three others were transported with serious injuries and six have minor injuries. Another twenty persons inside the train were uninjured.

The crash remains under investigation.

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Amtrak train with GOP leaders on board crashes at crossing, 1 dead http://railroadcrossingaccidentattorney.com/railroad-crossing-accident-deaths/amtrak-train-with-gop-leaders-on-board-crashes-at-crossing-1-dead/ http://railroadcrossingaccidentattorney.com/railroad-crossing-accident-deaths/amtrak-train-with-gop-leaders-on-board-crashes-at-crossing-1-dead/#respond Wed, 07 Feb 2018 02:44:12 +0000 http://railroadcrossingaccidentattorney.com/?p=743 Amtrak Train Crash

A train carrying members of Congress to a Republican retreat smashed into a garbage truck last week. The train was a chartered Amtrak train and collided with the dump truck near Crozet, Virginia. The Republican members on board were heading to a retreat at The Greenbrier resort in West Virginia. Members of Congress on board were thrown from their seats. At least one person was killed. The individual who died was one of two passengers inside the dump truck. The other passenger was airlifted to a nearby medical center at the University of Virginia.

The driver of the truck was also taken to the hospital with serious injuries. Several passengers on the train were taken to a nearby hospital and treated for minor injuries.

News reports state that witnesses on board contend that the impact was at full speed that there was not any braking before the collision.

The Congressional Republicans were on their post-State of the Union retreat, where Vice President Mike Pence was to speak on Wednesday and President Donald Trump was to speak Thursday.

According to news reports, no foul play was believed to be behind the accident. Local law enforcement were investigating the scene.

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Amtrak derailment in Washington kills three, injures others http://railroadcrossingaccidentattorney.com/train-derailments/amtrak-derailment-in-washington-kills-three-injures-others/ http://railroadcrossingaccidentattorney.com/train-derailments/amtrak-derailment-in-washington-kills-three-injures-others/#respond Thu, 21 Dec 2017 04:58:56 +0000 http://railroadcrossingaccidentattorney.com/?p=737 Amtrak Derailment Lawyer

An Amtrak train traveling south of Seattle and carrying passengers derailed Monday December 18 and fell off an overpass, killing at least three people and injuring more than 100 near Dupont, Washington.

Some 13 rail cars were pulled off the tracks.  Two motor vehicles were crushed but no fatalities among the automobiles struck.  The three deaths were reported from among the passengers in the train. There were 77 passengers and seven crew members on board. About 12 people were said to have critical or serious injuries.

The train was making its first ever run along a new faster route between Seattle and Portland, as part of a $180.7 million project. The train was reportedly going 81.1 mph about a quarter of a mile from where it went off the tracks.

The speed is said to drop from 79 mph to 30 mph for passenger trains as they head into the curve to cross Interstate 5, which is the location where the train derailed.

According to news reports, Amtrak President Richard Anderson has acknowledged that positive train control was not in use on this part of the track.  Positive train control is technology that can slow or even stop a speeding train.

At this point, it is not certain how fast the train was traveling as it entered the curve and derailed. The new route was designed to save 10 minutes off the commute between Seattle and Portland.

The tracks are owned by Sound Transit, a Seattle based transit agency.  According to their office, the speed limit is 30 mph in that area and that speed signs are posted two miles before the speed zone and just before the curve.  The train engineer was injured but survived the crash.

National Transportation Safety Board investigators were at the scene. All southbound lanes of I-5 were closed south of Joint Base Lewis-McChord, and motorists were being warned to avoid the area.

President Donald Trump tweeted three hours after the Amtrak crash that it shows “more than ever why our soon to be submitted infrastructure plan must be approved quickly.” The accident happened on a newly completed bypass.

The Amtrak Cascades service is jointly owned by the Washington and Oregon transportation departments. Amtrak operates the service for the two states as a contractor and is responsible for day-to-day operations for runs between Vancouver, British Columbia, to Eugene, Oregon.

The schedule the day of the accident called for the train to leave Seattle around 6 a.m. and arrive in Portland about 3 1/2 hours later.

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Investigation: Ambulance, train accident involved cell phone http://railroadcrossingaccidentattorney.com/truck-train-crashes/investigation-ambulance-train-accident-involved-cell-phone/ http://railroadcrossingaccidentattorney.com/truck-train-crashes/investigation-ambulance-train-accident-involved-cell-phone/#respond Fri, 21 Jul 2017 17:12:16 +0000 http://railroadcrossingaccidentattorney.com/?p=724 Train Crossing Lawyer

A recent Transportation Safety Board investigation states that a 2015 deadly collision between an ambulance and train involved several factors including use of a cell phone. The investigation cited a mix of unclear railway crossing signals, faded road markings, and the ambulance driver using a cellphone as factors causing a deadly crash.

The accident occurred September 11, 2015 when a freight train struck an ambulance at a railway cross at 216th Street and Glover Road in Vancouver, Canada.

The patient in the ambulance was an 87-year-old woman who was airlifted to a nearby hospital but later died. There were two paramedics from the ambulance who were injured, while the crew on the train had no injuries. The Board cited privilege in not releasing contents from the phone call.

Reportedly, the ambulance was trying to make a left turn but stopped on one set tracks once a crossing gate lowered on the opposite lane and appeared to be blocking the ambulance’s path forward. However, according to the investigation, the lowered gate would not have blocked the ambulance from driving forward and off the railroad tracks it was on. An intersection shortly after the crossing could have caused confusion as well.

“These lights are designed to stay briefly green despite an approaching train in order to flush any remaining traffic from the interesection,” Harris said. “Add to this the faded roadway markings, specifically the left turn lane, which likely helped bring the ambulance in proximity to the [crossing].”

There have been three other incidents at this rail crossing in before this accident. This particular crossing had been identified by Transport Canada as a crossing of high concern. But railways and road authorities had been given a five year grace period to implement new safety standards.

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Freight train crashes into bus in Biloxi, MS, four dead http://railroadcrossingaccidentattorney.com/uncategorized/freight-train-crashes-into-bus-in-biloxi-ms-four-dead/ http://railroadcrossingaccidentattorney.com/uncategorized/freight-train-crashes-into-bus-in-biloxi-ms-four-dead/#respond Mon, 13 Mar 2017 19:52:47 +0000 http://railroadcrossingaccidentattorney.com/?p=715 Mississippi Train Crash Lawyer

A charter bus carrying 50 people smashed into a CSX freight train on March 7 at a railroad crossing in Biloxi, Mississippi. The train pushed the bus over 300 feet down the tracks, killing three people and injuring 30 others.

Among the dead were an elderly couple from Lockhart, Texas, and a another elderly man from Sealy, Texas. A fourth person was rushed to the hospital and underwent surgery but passed away shortly after the procedure.

The bus was originally from Austin, Texas, and traveling to a casino in Biloxi, MS. It had just come from a casino in Bay St. Louis. The bus, which was marked that it belonged to Echo Transportation, had stopped on the tracks when the crash occurred. Authorities do not know why the bus was straddling the tracks at the railroad crossing when it was hit. The Jaws of Life hydraulic rescue tool was used to extract people from the damaged bus. A nearby triage tent was set up nearby and helicopters flew the injured to hospitals that could handle trauma injuries.

It still remains unclear whether the bus got stuck or broke down while it was over the tracks. One witness said the bus was on the track for about five minutes before the crash occurred.

CSX, which is based in Jacksonville, Fla., reported that no crew members were injured in the incident. Its train had three locomotives and 52 cars, 27 of them were loaded cars and 25 empty cars.

Earlier this year on January 5, a CSX train crashed into to a delivery truck that had become stuck at the same railroad crossing in Biloxi. Fortunately, no one was injured. The truck driver worked for 10 minutes to get the truck off the tracks and then notified police. The police, however, were unable to stop the train in time.

The National Transportation Safety Board was at the scene the next day investigating.

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Cops, DPS & Union Pacific join to prevent Texas train accidents http://railroadcrossingaccidentattorney.com/texas-railroad-crossing-accidents/cops-dps-union-pacific-join-to-prevent-texas-train-accidents/ http://railroadcrossingaccidentattorney.com/texas-railroad-crossing-accidents/cops-dps-union-pacific-join-to-prevent-texas-train-accidents/#respond Mon, 06 Mar 2017 19:56:19 +0000 http://railroadcrossingaccidentattorney.com/?p=710 Texas Train Injury Lawyer

It’s a good sign when law enforcement and railroad companies come together to prevent railroad crossing accidents and deaths.

In Harris County, Texas, local police and state troopers are working with the Union Pacific railroad to crack down on drivers who disobey railroad traffic lights and crossing gates. The idea is to stop drivers who attempt to beat the trains, carelessly stop on the tracks, or just blatantly ignore traffic signals. Union Pacific officials say there were 44 train and automobile crashes in the greater Houston area last year.

According to Union Pacific, drivers sometimes need a reminder of how dangerous it is to violate traffic signals at rail road crossings, and that a crack down on careless driving is part of that reminder and helps to be a deterrent.

In just a 30 minute time-frame, the DPS in Harris County stopped 10 vehicles for violating traffic laws at railroad crossings.
The public should know that ignoring railroad crossing signals should not be turned into some game of chicken where the driver attempts to beat out a train traveling over 55 mph.

It is important to note that sometimes rail road traffic signals can be broken, so drivers should approach every railroad crossing with caution and should immediately report any broken traffic signals to their local law enforcement and call the number posted on the railroad arms.

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Proposed Florida bill: AAF rail service to pay for safety upgrades http://railroadcrossingaccidentattorney.com/uncategorized/proposed-florida-bill-aaf-rail-service-to-pay-for-safety-upgrades/ http://railroadcrossingaccidentattorney.com/uncategorized/proposed-florida-bill-aaf-rail-service-to-pay-for-safety-upgrades/#respond Mon, 30 Jan 2017 02:56:43 +0000 http://railroadcrossingaccidentattorney.com/?p=705 Florida Train Crash Attorney

Local communities in Florida that have high-speed passenger rail moving through their districts want the high-speed operators to pay for safety upgrades. State legislation calling for companies to pay and maintain the rail line has been proposed.

The legislation targets the privately funded All Aboard Florida’s Brightline service which hopes to connect Miami and Orlando with high-speed rail service. All Aboard Florida has started to test its Brightline passenger train on tracks belonging to Florida East Coast Railway. The testing is being done between West Palm Beach and Lantana. The rail service is expected to run at speeds just under 80 mph and to begin this summer. Ticket prices have yet to be announced.

The bill sponsor of SB 386 is Sen. Debbie Mayfield, R-Vero Beach. Republican House members are expected to file a House version of the bill. The Senate version of the bill gives the Florida Department of Transportation the power to regulate high-speed rail in cases when it is not preempted by federal law. At least two counties, Martin and Indian River, are still legally contesting Brightline’s service. Citizens have complained that the rail service will be unsafe and destroy their quality of life. They further argue that the rail service would block hurricane evacuation routes and that any explosions could pose threats to a nearby nuclear plant belonging to Florida Power & Light. The rail line is on the west of the Intracoastal Waterway, while the nuclear plan is on Hutchinson Island, on the eastern side of the waterway.

It is expected to take two more years before All Aboard Florida will run its Brightline trains heading north between Jupiter and Cocoa with speeds close to 110 mph. Trains are expected some day to travel 125 mph to Orlando.

The legislation requires high-speed passenger rail companies to pay for realigning and installing fencing and crossing gates and maintaining tracks and roadbeds. The bill also covers training for accidents involving rail and hazardous materials.

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Bus driver crashes into a stopped Union Pacific train in Texas http://railroadcrossingaccidentattorney.com/uncategorized/bus-driver-crashes-into-a-stopped-union-pacific-train-in-texas/ http://railroadcrossingaccidentattorney.com/uncategorized/bus-driver-crashes-into-a-stopped-union-pacific-train-in-texas/#respond Mon, 16 Jan 2017 04:41:46 +0000 http://railroadcrossingaccidentattorney.com/?p=700 Texas Train Injury Lawyer

Authorities continue to investigate a train crash that occurred in Midland County, Texas on January 9.

A TRAX Bus had crashed into a stationary Union Pacific train locomotive. Two passengers on the bus were treated for minor injuries while the female driver of the bus was transported to a medical facility in critical condition. It is unknown whether her condition was related to the medical episode or the collision. No one was on the train when the accident happened. There were three other locomotives involved but those did not sustain damage and were unoccupied as well.

Authorities have said that the driver had a medical episode and went off the road. It traveled nearly 200 yards before it hit a Union Pacific train that had been parked on the tracks. The driver had been traveling eastbound on Highway 80 near Loop 250.

The City of Midland Police Department is heading up the investigation. The Texas Department of Public Safety and the Midland County Sheriff’s Office were also on the scene the day of the accident.

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New Jersey Transit train crash leaves one dead, many injured http://railroadcrossingaccidentattorney.com/railroad-accident-deaths/new-jersey-transit-train-crash-leaves-one-dead-many-injured/ http://railroadcrossingaccidentattorney.com/railroad-accident-deaths/new-jersey-transit-train-crash-leaves-one-dead-many-injured/#respond Sat, 03 Dec 2016 22:05:14 +0000 http://railroadcrossingaccidentattorney.com/?p=694 New Jersey Train Crash Lawyer

A New Jersey Transit train crashed into a station in Hoboken on September 29, 2016, killing a woman and injuring more than 100 people.

The accident occurred during a Thursday morning rush hour, leaving piles of cables, metals and other debris. Part of the terminal actually collapsed from the collision as the train smashed through a barrier at the end of its track, eventually stopping in a covered waiting area.

Train No. 1614 smashed through a station platform at Hoboken Terminal around 8:45 a.m. killing Fabiola Bittar de Kroon, 34, who had been standing on the platform. She is survived by her husband and child.

Although early in the investigation, crash investigators believe the crash was either accidental or involved operator error.

Reports from the scene describe people crawling out of windows of the train, crying and screaming. Passengers reported that the train was traveling faster than usual when it entered the station.

The canopy of the 100-year-old plus train station building rested on top of the train that had come off the tracks and the NTSB was waiting until it’s safe to go into that area. Sources at the scene speculated that there may be asbestos contamination given the age of the building.

She says water has been leaking in all day and there may also be asbestos contamination because of the age of the building.

Investigators the next morning retrieved a black box event recorder from the train. The device is expected to reveal the train’s speed and braking. A second recorder that is located in the engineer’s compartment could add further evidence behind the crash. Investigators currently are unable to access it because of the collapsed roof.

There were reports of survivors trapped under rubble, as first responders struggled to free them loose. Some 66 victims were sent to Jersey City Medical Center. Most were soon released after being evaluated for injuries. Thirteen patients remained at the hospital.

The Hoboken University Medical Center received 23 patients. All but seven were released. At least one person was admitted to hospital with a fracture. The rest were in stable condition. Injuries included bumps, bruises and complaints of shortness of breath and chest pain.

Gov. Chris Christie and Gov. Andrew Cuomo, visited the crash site. Christie said the total injured stood at 114 people, including those with minor wounds requiring only a bandage.

News reports claim that the train was not equipped with positive train control, which is a technology designed to slow speeding trains. Most U.S. railroads have been ordered to install the technology but the deadline to complete installation had been extended several times. The latest deadline is now Dec. 31, 2018.

The National Transportation Safety Board will be investigating and looking at whether the train was exceeding speed limits when approaching the station and when entering the station area.

A crash occurred at the same station but on a different line in 2011. More than 30 people were injured then when the train smashed into bumpers at the end of the track. It was determined in that crash that the engineer failed to control the speed of the train.

The Hoboken Terminal had undergone restoration several times, most recently in 2004. It was built in 1907 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Hoboken is NJ Transit’s fifth-busiest station with 15,000 boardings per weekday. Over 100,000 people use the station daily to commute from New Jersey to New York City. It is the final stop for several train lines and a transfer point for many commuters on their way to New York City.

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