A Union Pacific Northwest Train recently ran over and killed a pedestrian on the tracks near Arlington Park in Chicago. The woman was examined by the Cook County medical examiner and identified as 34-year-old Barbara Scoglietti, a local resident. She was struck at around 7:30 a.m. and pronounced dead at the scene less than a half-hour later.
Outbound train service was suspended temporarily during the investigation, which found that the inbound trains had been operating 30 to 65 minutes behind schedule at the time of the accident.
Despite the seemingly random nature of this tragedy, train accidents like the one that resulted in Scoglietti’s death happen somewhat regularly. Because trains are incredibly heavy and bulky — and often carry enough cars to take up miles of space on the tracks — even a small error or complication may result in a major disaster.
Derailments of both freight and passenger trains are common and frequently cause injury or death to passengers, collisions with other vehicles, and dangerous spills of bulky or toxic cargo. Train operators, cargo loaders and route managers must follow very specific, comprehensive guidelines to maintain the safety of workers, passengers and passersby, but there are a number of factors that may keep a train from adhering perfectly to its route schedule.
Train operator negligence risks the health and wellbeing of others and may result in serious injuries or death. If you’ve been involved in one of these accidents, speak with an experienced train accident lawyer in Chicago as soon as possible.