After the deadly Amtrak wreck in Philadelphia earlier this year that killed five, some lawmakers wanted to see a speed enforcement system implemented right away. However, this week Congress passed a bill that will delay mandates for railroads to add such safety upgrades. After the derailing in May, the CEO of Amtrak pledged to make the safety upgrades by the […]
Congress Passes Bill To Delay Train Safety Upgrades
Questions Arise After Fatal Pedestrian/Train Accident
A 16 year-old boy was hit by a train in NW Houston TX last Friday and was pronounced dead at the scene. Police reported that the young man was hit at 8:45 am near West 34th Street and TC Jester in Houston. His body was thrown under a trestle on the bridge that crosses the street White Oak Bayou. Police […]
Broken Rail Led to WV Oil Train Derailment, Officials State
By Randy Appleton, Virginia Railroad Accident Attorney A West Virginia crude oil train derailment in February 2015 that caused a fire and forced several hundred people to leave their homes was due to a split rail, according to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) last week. Two CSX rail inspections in December 2014 and January 2015 did not detect the defect […]
Family Files Suit for Death at Dangerous Train Crossing Guardrail
By Richard Shapiro, Virginia Railroad Accident Attorney A 22 year-old man from Richmond CA was killed last March when he died at a railroad crossing in this small California town. Media reports stated that the man spent all day and night volunteering at a school, and he then was driving home. He reportedly fell asleep at the wheel and crashed […]
Northern Virginia Law Enforcement Increasing Train Track Safety Awareness
Officers from Fairfax County (VA) Police and the Norfolk Southern Railroad Police have been cracking down on people who illegally walk across railroad tracks Northern Virginia. The Norfolk Southern Police are in the midst of a year-long Trespass Abatement Program and are focusing their efforts on five areas in Fairfax County in recent days. That is due to the high […]
More Time Needed for New Train Safety Technology: Federal Report
By Randy Appleton, Virginia Railroad Accident Attorney A new report issued by the Government Accountability Office this week states that Congress should allow more time for freight and passenger trains to install new technology that could prevent deadly train derailings, such as the Amtrak mishap last May that killed eight people. Congress established a Dec. 31 deadline for rail companies […]
Amtrak Train Smashes Truck, Driver Uninjured
By Richard Shapiro, Railroad Accident Attorney A box truck driver jumped to safety just seconds before an Amtrak train slammed into his vehicle in San Diego CA on Aug. 31. The wreck happened in San Diego near the intersection of West Washington and Pacific Highway. The box truck had part of its cargo bay over the tracks at the time. […]
Most Railroads Won’t Meet Deadline For New Safety Technology
By Richard Shapiro, Railroad Accident Attorney Only a few railroads will come close to meeting a new federal deadline to install new safety technology that may prevent some crashes. Some of those crashes include derailments due to excessive speed, such as the deadly Amtrak wreck in Philadelphia last May. Just three railroads have turned in their safety plans to the […]
Mesothelioma Rate Has Not Dropped Despite Huge Drop In Asbestos Usage
By Rick Shapiro, Railroad Accident/FELA Attorney Workers with railroad companies such as Norfolk Southern, CSX, BNSF, Amtrak, etc. have been known to suffer serious lung conditions as a result of exposure to asbestos. The once popular material was embraced by the construction, manufacturing and railroad industries given its cheap price, easy availability and usefulness in absorbing sound and heat. However, […]