White Plains, NY — A New York jury has concluded that the Metro-North Railroad was primarily responsible for a catastrophic 2015 train collision that resulted in six deaths and numerous injuries. The commuter train crashed into an SUV at a suburban crossing, causing a fiery accident that has since sparked debates over railway safety and operational oversight.
The verdict, arrived at on Tuesday, attributed 71% of the fault to Metro-North for the passenger fatalities and injuries, while the SUV’s driver, who also died in the crash, was found 29% liable for these outcomes. Additionally, the railroad’s employee, train engineer Steven Smalls, and the management of the railway’s electrified infrastructure were notably blamed.
According to the findings, the collision occurred during the busy evening rush on February 3, 2015, when Ellen Brody, an SUV driver, entered the train tracks in the congested Valhalla area, approximately 20 miles north of New York City. The crossing’s gates descended onto her vehicle in the dim, backed-up traffic, prompting her to exit, inspect her car, and then move forward further onto the tracks.
Despite Smalls activating the emergency brake just three seconds prior, the train, traveling at about 50 miles per hour, could not stop in time, resulting in a devastating crash that propelled Brody’s vehicle down the tracks. The aftermath was described by one of the lawyers for the injured passengers as a flaming spear-like event, underscoring the horrific nature of the incident.
In the trial, the National Transportation Safety Board cited the design of the railroad’s power-providing third rail as a contributory factor, lacking a “controlled failure” mechanism which might have mitigated the disaster. Nonetheless, the NTSB also deemed Brody’s actions as the probable cause of the crash.
Representatives for Metro-North expressed disappointment in the verdict and disclosed plans to explore all legal avenues available, challenging the decision. Conversely, attorneys for Brody’s family and the injured passengers lauded the acknowledgment of the railroad’s negligence but voiced dissatisfaction with the proportion of blame assigned to Broody, who found herself in an unfamiliar and challenging driving situation.
Her lawyer, Philip Russotti, accentuated the lack of adequate signage and poorly designed crossing as significant factors that contributed to the tragedy. “What she needed was just a few more seconds to clear the tracks,” Russotti explained, emphasizing the situational hazards leading up to the crash.
As the case evolved in court, legal representatives for the roughly 30 injured passengers underscored the broader responsibility of the engineer and the Metro-North for not ensuring the safety of transit operations, pointing out the vital need for more proactive safety measures and slower train speeds in risky situations.
Damages for the victims and the deceased’s families will be assessed in a forthcoming trial, details of which are yet to be established. Estimates suggest that the compensations could amount to several hundreds of millions of dollars, reflecting the severe impact and the ongoing safety concerns surrounding railway crossings and operations.
The legal outcomes of this tragic incident not only spotlight the complexities of assigning liability but also echo the critical necessity for railway operators to enhance the safety protocols and infrastructure in order to prevent future calamities on the tracks.