Train News

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February 15, 2012
DC Metro Settles Seven Wrongful Death Suits From Deadly 2009 Train Crash
The transit agency that operates Washington D.C.'s Metro train system has settled seven wrongful death lawsuits stemming from a 2009 train crash that killed nine people. The Republic reports that Metro and three other companies have assumed legal responsibility for the June 22, 2009 crash, which was the deadliest crash in the history of D.C.'s Metro system. Along with the nine people that were killed, many more were injured when one Metro train collided with another stopped train. A faulty circuit and a train control system failure were found to be the cause of the crash. Metro, along with three equipment companies acknowledged responsibility for the crash. Ansaldo, an Italian company that manufactured software and equipment used by Metro; ARINC, which provided Metro with a train tracking system, and Alstrom, the company that manufactured the failed circuit were the three companies involved in the settlements. The details of the settlements were not made immediately available to the press, however many expect the sum of all the settlements to be in the millions.

February 14, 2012
Railroads Dragging Their Feet on Updating Crash Avoidance Technology
A rail safety measure passed by Congress in 2008 after one of the worst rail disasters in modern history is in danger of being delayed for five years under rail industry -backed legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives. Rail Industry officials, led by the Association of American Railroads, are now fighting the 2015 mandate through a bill that the House is expected to take up this week, arguing that the costly technology needs improvement before implementation. Senior transportation attorney and rail safety advocate Paul Hedlund of Baum, Hedlund, Aristei & Goldman says the reluctance to act on the part of railroad companies has more to do with saving money than waiting for technology to improve. "Nothing is ever quite ready for prime time," says Hedlund. "It's always, 'it could be better.'"  Baum Hedlund has represented several Chatsworth crash victims.

February 1, 2012
10 Injured After Amtrak Train Collides With Tractor Trailer
An Amtrak train collided with a tractor trailer that was stuck on the tracks in Leoni Township, Michigan on Wednesday, injuring 10 people. The crash occurred on Michigan Avenue at Portage Road at around 8:19 a.m. A total of seven train passengers were injured, along with the tractor trailer driver and two Amtrak employees. The Amtrak train collided with the tractor trailer going around 70 miles per hour before two cars lost contact with the track. The one of the derailed cars came to rest on its side. There were about 70 people on board the Amtrak train at the time of the crash. Local authorities are investigating the crash and looking into warning devices on the train or at the crossing.

Click here for more information about the Amtrak collision

January 17, 2012
Veolia Attorneys Fail to Meet With Metrolink Crash Victims
Victims of a deadly 2008 Metrolink train crash gathered in Ventura, California on Tuesday for a scheduled meeting with representatives from Veolia Transportation, the company contracted to manage Metrolink crews. In an all too familiar move on the part of Veolia, representatives canceled the meeting on Tuesday morning. The meeting was to be held to discuss Veolia compensating the victims an additional $150 million over the $200 million federal cap on damages in train disasters. The Ventura County Taxpayers Association believes that medical and other costs to the victims and their families will go far above the $200 million cap.

This is not the first time Veolia has made plans to meet with crash victims, only to cancel on them. A young woman whose father was killed in the September 12, 2008 crash, said Veolia sent a letter offering to meet with her family in October. The family never heard from Veolia again.

The Metrolink crash, which occurred when a Metrolink train crashed head-on into a Union Pacific freight train in Chatsworth, California, killed 24 people and injured over 100 others. A federal investigation revealed that train engineer Robert Sanchez, a Veolia employee, failed to stop the train at a red light because he was using his cell phone to send text messages.

Click here to read more about the Metrolink crash

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