Skip to Main Content
site logo
Click Here for a Free Case Evaluation

Free Case Evaluation 785-539-4656

Tragic Minnesota railroad crossing deaths at unguarded crossing

By Pottroff & Karlin LLC | railroad news

Two men driving a Blue Earth County, Minnesota dump truck were struck by a Union Pacific train on Sunday. They lost their lives at the unguarded crossing. Now, the residents of nearby Lake Crystal are left wondering if a guarded railroad crossing might have saved lives. There's good reason to think so, too: 95% of railroad crossing accidents could be prevented by functioning lights and gates. This is especially potent in the case of commercial truck driving: commercial truck drivers should never have to drive over unguarded railroad crossings.

Read More

Two teenagers injured at unguarded North Dakota railroad crossing

By Pottroff & Karlin LLC | railroad news

Two teenagers near Des Lacs, ND were thrown out of their car when it collided with an eastbound train on Sunday. The Burlington Northern Santa Fe freight train hit the car's front end, sending the vehicle into a nearby ditch. The teenagers had to be rescued from the vehicle, and sent to a hospital in Minot to be treated for their injuries.

Read More

KC Southern Railroad refuses to repair a deadly railroad crossing

By Pottroff & Karlin LLC | railroad news

In lightly populated communities, exceptionally deadly railroad crossings are not uncommon. Installing and properly maintaining lights and gates at a railroad crossing costs money and time. In sparsely populated regions, unguarded crossings are frequently left unguarded by the simple (and perhaps slightly backwards) logic that very little traffic does not sufficiently warrant the protective power of equipment.

Read More

Union Pacific sued by chlorine companies

By Pottroff & Karlin LLC | railroad news

Few corporations prove themselves to be immune to fuzzy (or even downright silly) logic, especially when such (il)logic results in financial gain. However, the largest freight railroad company in the nation, Union Pacific, is yet again establishing itself as a leader in backwards thinking. Chlorine companies - The Chlorine Institute and the American Chemistry Council - are filing suit against the railroad giant to block a provision established by U.P which makes the suppliers themselves liable for damages incurred during transportation, even those for which the railroad is at fault.

Read More

Former NTSB chairman discusses fault for Metro tragedy

By Pottroff & Karlin LLC | railroad news

The tragic event in Washington D.C which took the lives of 9 respected citizens and injured 80 others has spawned much discussion over issues of rail safety and fault. One issue in particular which has aroused the public's curiosity (and indignation) is the fact that the NTSB recommended that Metro scrap its outdated cars - cars which include the train which derailed, killing so many - years before the tragedy. Metro did not act, and the public is left wondering why exactly a government agency with an annual budget of $10.3 billion makes safety recommendations which are not enforced.

Read More

Dangerous crossing gets lights and gates after 30 years

By Pottroff & Karlin LLC | railroad news

One particular railroad crossing in Steamboat Springs, Colorado has been the site of several collisions over the past 30 years, and Union Pacific is finally doing something about it. The crossing almost took the life of Buck Chavarria, who escaped from the oncoming train by jumping out of his pickup. Chavarria says that with no warning equipment, the crossing is particularly deadly: drivers have to inch their way forward to check for oncoming trains, as the visibility is limited. Chavarria was unlucky, as his truck just wouldn't stop sliding forward one icy day as a train approached.

Read More

Another unguarded crossing tragedy in Missouri

By Pottroff & Karlin LLC | railroad news

A private crossing in Springfield, MO was the location of another railroad crossing fatality earlier today. A young man pulled up to the crossing in his van, was hit by an oncoming BNSF train, and died when his van burst into flames.

Read More

Oklahoma man dies at unguarded crossing

By Pottroff & Karlin LLC | railroad news

An El Reno, OK man was killed last night attempting to cross a railroad crossing on his tractor trailer when he was killed by a Union Pacific train. The rural crossing had no active warning devices whatsoever - no electronic lights, no protective gate. To most of us, that sounds like an unguarded crossing.

Read More

D.C. Metro crash: malfunctioning circuit?

By Pottroff & Karlin LLC | railroad news

The investigation into the Metro crash on Monday which killed 9 and injured 80 is still in its early stages, but certain clues are being found. Investigators now think that the train operator did apply an emergency brake approximately 400 feet prior to impact. Officials are investigating why the operator did not already know a train was stopped ahead. One of six circuits in the area around the crash which would alert the operator of track information such as upcoming trains and appropriate speeds seems to be functioning improperly. More investigation is underway.

Read More

Tragedy in D.C. – Derailment kills 9

By Pottroff & Karlin LLC | railroad news

A tragic crash occurred yesterday as a Metro passenger train in Washington, D.C. ran into another train at high speeds. As of now, substantial facts are of yet to be reported - the rail cars were not outfitted with recording technology which would have recorded the speed of the train and any mechanical failures. For now, however, officials do not think that mechanical failure was the problem. The rear train rammed full speed into a stopped train in between the Takoma and Fort Totten stations in D.C.

Read More