Railroad

Judge Grants Railroad Authority to Claim Land from African American Farmers

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Montgomery, Alabama – A recent court ruling has determined that a major freight railroad has the right to seize land owned by a Black farming couple in Lowndes County, Alabama, to build a major rail bridge and an expanded rail terminal. The decision underscores the ongoing challenges of land ownership and the tensions between development prospects and farmland preservation. The legal fight began when Norfolk Southern Railway invoked eminent domain to expropriate approximately 350 acres of land owned by the Eddie and Dorothy Long family. The Longs, who have nurtured crops on this land for … Read more

Virginia’s New Law Accelerates Broadband Expansion, Challenges Railroad Hurdles: Rural Areas to Benefit

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RICHMOND, Va. — A new law in Virginia aimed at expediting broadband deployment across railroad tracks has led to multiple legal disputes even as it starts to transform rural connectivity. Since the law’s enactment on July 1, 2023, Virginia’s electric cooperatives have successfully navigated about 37 railroad crossings to enhance internet access in some of the state’s most secluded areas, reports the Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives. Previously, negotiations with railroad companies like Norfolk Southern and CSX were fraught with high fees and extensive delays, effectively acting as barriers to broadband expansion, … Read more

Jury Finds Railroad Mainly Responsible for Fatal 2015 Train-SUV Collision in New York

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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 … Read more

Former Executive Assistant Accuses Operation Underground Railroad Founder Tim Ballard of Sexual Assault in Multiple Jurisdictions

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Salt Lake City, Utah – Celeste Borys, a former executive assistant to Tim Ballard, the founder of Operation Underground Railroad (OUR), has filed criminal complaints claiming that Ballard sexually assaulted her in four jurisdictions, according to her attorney. Last week, Borys and her lawyer flew to California to make these allegations. Previously, she had filed a criminal complaint with the Lindon Police Department in Utah County. In addition to Utah, Borys has now reported assaults to police departments in San Diego, San Clemente, and the San Jose suburb of Campbell, as well as to Los … Read more