Excerpts from various depositions can be found under the “Traffic & Transportation Engineering,” “Human Factors,” “Accident Reconstruction,” and “Work Zone Traffic Control Devices/Construction” specialty sections.

Collision Date - August 19th, 2013 – We were working on behalf of Defendant land owner – in this accident, a Union Pacific Railroad train, operating just south of Fresno, collided with a passenger car resulting in the deaths of 4 young adults, aged 18 to 21, and the severe injury of one 20 year old.

Collision Date - September 12th, 2008 – We were working on behalf of Plaintiff - Metrolink operator texting on his phone did not see approaching Union Pacific train. Head on collision causes 25 deaths and more than a hundred injuries - worst L.A. Metrolink fatality accident ever – the Settlement was $200,000,000.00, the Maximum Settlement allowed by Federal Law, for a single rail accident, anywhere in the United States.

(Photo below is from the “Video Reconstruction” of this accident, at the end of the
Major Highway/Rail Crossing Accidents section)

March 27, 2006 – Working on behalf of Defendant Jevic Transportation - Westbound Amtrak train approaching Chatsworth Station hits Jevic Transportation semi-tractor and trailer after trailers brakes lock up prior to passing over a rail crossing. After being struck, the trailer swings around and knocks the motorcyclist off his cycle, leaving him seriously injured. (See Example Accident Reconstruction at the end of this section.)

January 26, 2005 – Working on behalf of Plaintiff - Metrolink train derails another Metrolink train which then derails a Union Pacific Locomotive on a nearby siding. 11 people die, more than a hundred are injured. Despondent driver parks Jeep to commit suicide, changes his mind, but can’t get Jeep off the tracks. Second worst LA-Metrolink fatality accident to ever occur. Settlement $35,000,000.00

March 1, 2004 – Working on behalf of Plaintiff - a Blue Line train operated by the L. A. County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) struck a car where the Blue Line train crossed Wilmington near Willowbrook resulting in one Fatality and one injured. (Settlement)

January 6, 2003 – Working on behalf of Defendant - Universal Studios truck driver turns his truck in front of a Metrolink Train, derailing it, causing 2 deaths, with others injured, in Burbank, CA.

August 15, 2002- Working on behalf of Plaintiffs - a dirt hauling tractor/trailer crossing the tracks was struck by a BNSF freight train traveling 60 mph in northern California. The truck was part of a construction project being processed by general contractor Shaw at a PG&E site near Pittsburg, California. The driver of the truck was fatally injured. Lee & O'Daniel, BNSF employees occupying the locomotive, were injured in their unrestrained positions in the train. Settlement - $4,100,000

Example: Below is a More Detailed Description of the Accident Reconstruction of the March 27, 2006 Highway/Rail Crossing Accident from the above list of the

Major Highway/Rail Crossing Accidents

A Locomotive Inspection was conducted on April 11th, 2006 by Robert Douglas and three of his Senior and Assistant Engineers. They used a Leica Scan Station laser scanning instrument, for a Highway/Rail Crossing accident that occurred on March 27th in Chatsworth. The locomotive struck the rear wheels of a Jevic Transportation Tractor-Trailer, swinging it around to strike two cars and a motorcycle. The Tractor-Trailer operator said he was attempting to back his rig into a business just southeast of the railroad tracks. He started backing while on the railroad tracks. Just after he started, the crossing bells started ringing and one gate arm came down right in between the tractor and its trailer, severing the air brake line that went to the trailer brakes. The truck’s rear trailer brakes locked, and since he was loaded, his truck started to jackknife in reverse, so the driver jammed the transmission into first gear and began pulling the trailer, with the tires smoking, attempting to finish crossing the tracks before the transmission into first gear and began pulling the trailer, with the tires smoking, attempting to finish crossing the tracks before the train got there. He got the entire rig up up to the last wheels of the trailer across, but the train hit the trailers last axle and swung the trailer around, impacting two cars and a motorcycle waiting at the opposite side of the crossing. The motor-cycle rider was severely injured. There were no other serious injuries reported. The Leica Scan Station was able to accurately measure the location of the seats in the cab of the locomotive, as well as the tilted design of the windows, so that the inside measurements could be “stitched” together with the image scanned from outside the cab of the locomotive, which then allowed an accurate image of what the locomotive occupants could see as it approached the crossing and the truck. The rail line approaching the crossing was also Scan surveyed, so that a complete version of the approach could be shown in the accompanying video reconstruction.

Click the Above for the Video Reconstruction

Locomotive’s Plow (Or “Catcher”) – Note Imprint from the Tractor-Trailers Rear Wheel on the Left of the Plow

The Locomotive’s Event Recorder (which every locomotive has), combined with the Scan survey, indicated that the Operator/Engineer had a clear view of the Tractor-Trailer and the other vehicles at the crossing 1200 feet before the impact. No braking or deceleration was recorded until just a few feet before the impact.

Not Only Did the Trailer Swing Around, But the Force of the almost 200 Ton Locomotive, Combined with the Several Hundred Tons of Rail Cars It Was Pulling, Was Enough to Disconnect and Eject the Trailer’s Rear Wheels from the Trailer, and the Trailer’s Box, Above the Wheels, Knocked the Driver Off the Motorcycle, and Then the Heavily Loaded Trailer Box, Came Down on Top of the Motorcycle and its Rider.