Burlington Northern ordered to pay more than $4 million for abu...

A railroad abused evidence so flagrantly after a 2003 fatal train collision in Anoka - resulting in a delayed civil trial, "mysteriously" lost documents, and lying under oath - that a judge ruled this week it should fork over another $4.2 million for its conduct.

[Crooks]

BNSF looks like a bunch of crooked crooks. Dangerous operations mixed with coverups and
brazen nastiness.

Make them pay for it.

[Mr Secant]

It's business as usual. Imagine the reckless behavior once republican tort reform legislation is granted......

[puppylove]

I cannot belive how long this has been tied up in court!! likely it will for many many more years....those families will probably not see a dime for at least another decade.....sad but true.

[The Rabbi]

How do you not see a train coming? At night the light shines like the sun??

[Sage Adivce Says]

The Rabbi wrote:

How do you not see a train coming? At night the light shines like the sun??

If seeing an oncoming train was as easy as this writter seems to suggest, then there would be no need for crossing gates, stopsigns, crossbucks or other traffic control devises at railroad grade crossings.

If anyone is interested in reading how egregious BNSF's conduct was following this collision, read the copy of Judge Maas' Memorandum supporting the imposition of sanctions in this case. You can read or download it at: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/13307821/BNSF-San...

If The Rabbi or others wonder how railroads can be responsible for grade crossing collisions, read "Death on the Tracks," a well-documented seven-part investigation series published five years ago in The New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/ref/national/deathonth...

BNSF's conduct in the tragic Anoka grade crossing collision is by no means an isolated example of conver-ups by railroads following grade crossing collisions. See "In Deaths at Rail Crossings, Missing Evidence and Silence," http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/11/national/11...

[fourjustice]

I would think it would be a very good time to take control out of the RRs hands. Don't allow them to download the data from the bungelows any longer, give this job to the police department when there is an accident. this information needs to be incripted so there is no possible way for any chance tampering. take temptation out of their grasp.
If the RR was not the one that had access to this information, if it was incripted like black boxes, the families would not have had to endure 6 years of trying to find the answers. The police department would have ALL the facts at hand.

[The Truth]

And guess who will be operating Northstar commuter rail?

[Boondoggle Express]

The recent BNSF cover-up story puts every Anoka County citizen on alert because BNSF will be operating Northstar commuter rail trains. The safety of thousands of people will be in the hands of the very same corporation which, according to the court, engaged in a pattern of deceit and misconduct.

What's more disturbing, the Minnesota legislature passed a law which will grant BNSF virtual immunity from lawsuits while they are operating Northstar trains. Sure, any victims will be able to sue, but guess who's on the hook for any damages? Take a look in the mirror, suckers. The "deep pockets" belong to you, the taxpayer.
Yes, the government will take the hit for any BNSF negligence.

To see the future of commuter rail in Minnesota, read "Death on the Tracks

http://www.nytimes.com/ref/national/deathonth...

a New York Times investigative series, which is recommended reading.

All aboard!

[human too]

"fourjustice" has a terrific idea. Keep the "black boxes" out of the railroads' hands. In fact, grade crossing equipment, in its entirety, should be the responsibility of the municipalities, townships, and cities through which the railroad travels. The railroad was there first, long before most towns even existed. It is the roads that were built across the tracks, not the tracks that were built across the roads. The responsibility for erecting and maintaining crossing gates and signage at grade crossings should rest with the local governing bodies, not with the railroads.