FELA Lawyer News Blog

Archive for the ‘Railroad Worker Injuries’ Category

FT. WORTH, TX – BNSF has issued a news release in response to an investigative report about BNSF’s conduct in grade crossing and railroad employee safety issues reported by The Minneapolis Star Tribune, calling the report bias.

In their investigative report, The Minneapolis Star Tribune identified 13 cases in which judges allegedly disciplined the railroad for destroying evidence and other legal wrongdoing. At issue was an investigation into a 2003 rail crossing collision that killed four people. ... Read More

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – An Iowa Interstate Railroad employee from Omaha was injured early Thursday morning, January 6, after becoming stuck between a guardrail and a train car at the MidAmerican power plant south of Council Bluffs.

The railroad worker who was injured was identified as 28-year old Michael McGillen, Junior.  McGillen was taken by medical helicopter to the Creighton University Medical Center in critical condition after rescue officials arrived at about 3 a.m., according to Dwayne Riche of the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office. ... Read More

DESOTO PARISH, LA – LSU Health Science Center officials report that Paul Griffin, a train engineer who worked for the Kanasas City Southern Railway Company (KCS), was shot in the face on Monday evening, December 20, while running his train down tracks in Desoto Parish.

The accident took place on the railroad tracks between Frierson and Wallace Lake Road in DeSoto Parish. Police say Griffin was shot in his lower jaw from about 400 yards away, where Larry Blair, the man who accidently shot the engineer, was reportedly sighting his gun when it went off. ... Read More

OSHA’s Region 7 Office announced Wednesday that BNSF has been ordered to pay an employee over $95,000 for violating the Whistleblower Provisions of the FRSA. BNSF suspended the employee for 30 days after he reported an on-the-job injury. BNSF suspended the employee for 30 days for allegedly using the wrong tool in the incident in which he was hurt. OSHA’s investigation concluded that the tool was not available to the employee until after he was hurt.

An OSHA investigation upheld the employee’s allegation that the Ft. Worth, Texas-based railroad issued him a Level S 30-day record suspension and one-year probation in retaliation for reporting a work-related injury. ... Read More

FAYETTE STATION, WV – A CSX employee, who was working on the railroad tracks near Fayette Station, fell approximately 125 feet down an embankment at the New River. The accident occurred early Monday morning, November 29 at approximately 5:30 am.

A fellow CSX worker was in the area and located the injured man. He led the Fayette County Rope Rescue team to the scene as reported by Meredith Gray, who is the public information officer for Ansted and Fayetteville fire departments. ... Read More

ROODHOUSE, IL – Eight rail cars of a Kansas City Southern Railway train occurred about 8 a.m. Tuesday morning, November 16, when the eastbound train being pulled by four engines slowed to make the curve onto southbound tracks at the Roodhouse Rail Yard. Eight empty grain cars behind the engines derailed to the west of the tracks that run parallel to U.S. Route 67 through Roodhouse.

Roodhouse Police Chief Steve Speeks said Thursday that the superintendent of the city’s Street Department continues to keep West Rowe Street blocked from traffic because of road damage caused by Tuesday morning’s derailment of a 144-car Kansas City Southern Railway Co. train. ... Read More

WILLIMANTIC, CT – On Tuesday, November 9, 2010 a New England Central Railroad (NECR) train carrying 30,000 gallons of ethanol derailed in Willimantic, CT. NECR is based in Brattleboro, Vermont.

New England Central Railroad train hauling ethanol derails in Willimantic, CT on November 9, 2010.

Willimantic is in Windham County Connecticut in the northeastern part of the state about 29 miles southeast of Hartford. ... Read More

KANSAS CITY, MO – Two BNSF trains derailed on October 7, 2010 after colliding with each other in Platte County, Missouri just south of the Buchanan County line.

Two BNSF trains collide near Kansas City, MO on Sunday October 7, 2010 causing several cars and two locomotives to derail. Photo credit: Scott Canon

Kansas City is in Platte County Missouri in the northwestern part of the state about 247 miles northwest of St Louis. ... Read More

CANEY, OK – An Atoka County worker was killed when his semi truck crashed into an oncoming train at a railroad crossing in Caney, OK on Thursday, October 21, 2010.

Demolished semi truck after collision with train in Caney, OK on Thursday, October 21, 2010.

Caney is in Atoka County, Oklahoma in the southern part of the state about 142 miles southeast of Oklahoma City. ... Read More

BRIMSON, MN – Five railroad workers were injured in a head-on collision between two Canadian National ore trains in Brimson, Minnesota, an unincorporated community in Ault Township.

Two Canadian National ore trains collide head-on injuring 5 railroad employees in Brimson, MN.

The train crash occurred in a section of tracks about 15 miles north of Two Harbors, MN on Thursday evening, September 28, 2010 at about 4:00 p.m. off Lake County Road 14 near Highland Lake. ... Read More