In 1950, a locomotive disaster left many throughout the nation horrified and grief-stricken. It occurred on a Wednesday just one day before Thanksgiving and was later labeled the worst train wreck in the history of that particular railroad. Railroad accidents in Connecticut and elsewhere often result in fatalities; those who survive their injuries are often left permanently disabled.

On that evening long ago, thousands of train passengers were navigating the rail system as they looked forward to an extended holiday weekend. The scene abruptly changed from one of excitement to devastation when a train smashed into a disabled locomotive on the tracks. Sadly, 80 train occupants were crushed to death upon impact.

The crash was reportedly the second that year on the same railroad. Also devastating, an earlier head-on train wreck resulted in 32 deaths. The Thanksgiving eve collision on Long Island in New York spawned the inception of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, a public agency still in existence today.

The steps taken to seek recovery for losses following railroad accidents often vary, depending on whether an injured victim was a passenger at the time or an on-duty railroad employee. Either way, if a party or parties is deemed negligent in a collision on the tracks, those injured due to that negligence may file legal claims against those believed responsible for their injuries. There are often several entities named as defendants in such cases which can complicate the litigation process, which is why most recovering victims in Connecticut seek assistance from personal injury attorneys experienced in handling claims arising from railroad accidents.

Source: New York Post, “This horrific, deadly train wreck sparked the creation of the MTA“, Danielle Furfaro, Laura Italiano, Sept. 19, 2017