In 2011, train engineer Darrell May was operating his train according to the rules in Texas and as he rounded a curve at 50 MPH, he saw a stalled tractor trailer on the tracks in front of him. He pulled the emergency brakes immediately, and he and his colleague threw themselves on the floor of the cab. The collision with […]
Injured Train Engineer Warns About Railroad Crossing Dangers
How Google Maps Makes Railroad Crossings Safer
The maps app on your smartphone soon could be able to tell you about the location of an upcoming railroad crossing. Audio and visual alerts will soon be coming to many smartphones because of a new partnership between Google and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). Finding innovative ways to reduce the death rate at 225,000 railroad crossings in the US […]
FRA Launches New Railroad Crossing and Trespassing Website
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) yesterday launched a redesigned website that has been billed to help drivers, pedestrians and law enforcement to be safer around the more than 200,000 railroad crossings and 140,000 miles of track in the US. The new portal for railroad crossings is part of FRA’s campaign to cut down on fatalities at railroad crossings and railroad […]
Iron County, Missouri Officials Urge Upgrades of Dangers RR Crossings
Dangerous railroad crossings are all too common in Iron County, Missouri, according to officials here. In December 2015, an Amtrak train slammed into a truck at a railroad crossing in Middlebrook MO and killed a local man. In that case, it appeared that the man may not have seen the oncoming train and he drove over the tracks into its […]
MN Governor Visits Site of Truck-Train Crash
Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton visited the site of a truck/train crash and derailment over the weekend in Callaway MN, and he praised the town and first responders for their quick actions to prevent major injuries. He also used that accident to illustrate the need to upgrade railroad crossings around the state. More than 200 residents of the town were forced […]
Improvements Being Made to Deadly Michigan Railroad Crossing
Major safety improvements are being made to a Wexford County, MI railroad crossing where a woman was killed a year ago. The woman, Kathryn Paddock, was killed at the deadly railroad crossing in Manton MI last March when her SUV was hit by a train. Since 1987, the Federal Railroad Administration reports that there have been five crashes at this […]
Railroad Worker Sues for Injuries from Tank Car Accident
The switch conductor for a railroad tank car in New Orleans has filed a personal injury lawsuit alleged that the railroad is liable for injuries he suffered on the job. The railroad worker states that he was employed by SGS Petroleum Services Corp, and on Aug. 23, 2015, while he was performing duties on a railroad tank car, he fell […]
Amtrak Train Derails in Kansas – 29 Injured
Five cars on an Amtrak train in Cimarron, Kansas derailed early yesterday morning, sending 29 people to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. According to Amtrak, the train was traveling from Los Angeles to Chicago when it derailed at approximately midnight on Feb. 12. According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, five cars derailed and were on their side. Although the […]
Local Government Can Now Request Railroad Bridge Safety Data
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) last month launched a new web request page for train bridge safety inquiries. Now state and local officials can request information about the safety of railroad bridges in their communities. Once the request has been filed with the FRA, the railroad has 30 days to provide a safety report. According to FRA Administrator Sarah Feinberg, […]
NYC’s Metro-North Line Reports More Injuries in 2015
Metro-North, a major commuter railroad line in the New York City metro region, reported this week that both customer and employee injuries increased in 2015. Statistics show that total employee injuries are up by 9.5% from 2014. Meanwhile, Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) reportable injuries have increased by 1.7%. However, injuries for customers on Metro-North increased in 2015 by 30%. Metro-North […]