Many Connecticut railroad workers and others throughout the nation have been closely following news regarding a recent train derailment. The railroad accident occurred in another state, when a massive locomotive careened off the tracks and catapulted several train cars off an overpass. The cars landed on the interstate below. In the aftermath of the crash, railroad workers have come out swinging, saying they tried to warn Amtrak such a thing was likely to happen.
Sadly, three lives were lost in the massive train collision. At least 100 other people suffered injuries. Engineers and conductors now say they were not properly trained to handle the new, high-speed route. The workers say they told Amtrak, multiple times, they had serious safety concerns.
Engineers claim several of the training sessions that were provided before the maiden voyage on the high-speed route occurred at night when it was very dark. They say workers were crammed into train cars, some even riding backwards at the time, so not only did the darkness impede visibility, some workers were not able to focus their attention on the tracks ahead during the training sessions. When the crash occurred, the train was traveling at 80 mph into a maximum 30 mph bend.
Amtrak has responded to the workers’ allegations following the railroad accident by saying it is cooperating with the National Transportation Safety Board in the investigation. Company spokespeople also say the company considers worker and passenger safety its highest priority. So far, more than half a dozen lawsuits have been filed since the crash. Railroad workers in Connecticut and elsewhere are protected under the Federal Employers Liability Act, which enables them to file personal injury claims against employers when their negligence has resulted in worker injury.
Source: CNN, “Workers say they warned Amtrak before deadly crash“, Scott Bronstein, Drew Griffin, Collette Richards, Jan. 29, 2018