The sister of a worker who was killed in another state when a train hit him says she plans to tell her mother that funding is set to be provided to install signals at the intersection where her brother died. The tragedy occurred in 2017. Sadly, it was not the first death on that particular section of tracks. At least four other railroad accidents in the same area had similar outcomes. Connecticut railroad workers and many residents are also concerned with safety at railroad crossings.
The transportation department in the state where the accidents occurred has committed $700,000 to the new project. Amtrak says it will fund the rest. A senator who was recently speaking about the issue said that advocates have been trying get signals installed at the intersection for more than 40 years. The senator and others have lamented the fact that the scheduled funding has only come about after many lives were lost.
The worker who was killed in 2017 was plowing the intersection at the time. His son recently stated that his father’s death will at least help improve railroad safety for others in the future since the tragedy was a main factor that prompted the new signal project. The situation is complex because the railroad tracks extend through numerous jurisdictions at the intersection in question, including the railway that is maintained by Amtrak, as well as state and federal properties on local roads.
Connecticut railroad accidents do not always occur at intersections, although they are always high-risk areas. Various legal issues may arise when workers or residents are injured in train collisions. Thankfully, experienced railroad injury attorneys can help recovering victims navigate post-accident litigation situations.