Madden v. Anton Antonov & AV Transportation, Inc.

156 F. Supp. 3d 1011, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 23687, 2015 WL 9690017
CourtDistrict Court, D. Nebraska
DecidedFebruary 17, 2015
Docket4:12-CV-3090
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 156 F. Supp. 3d 1011 (Madden v. Anton Antonov & AV Transportation, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Nebraska primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Madden v. Anton Antonov & AV Transportation, Inc., 156 F. Supp. 3d 1011, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 23687, 2015 WL 9690017 (D. Neb. 2015).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

John M. Gerrard, United States District Judge

This case arises from a collision between a train owned by defendant BNSF Railway Company and a truck driven by defendant Anton Antonov for AV Transportation. Plaintiff Ronald D. Madden, the train’s conductor, sustained serious injuries in the collision. Madden’s operative complaint asserts a state-law negligence claim against Antonov and AV transportation and a claim under the Federal Employers’ Liability Act (FELA), 45 U.S.C. [1014]*1014§ 51 et seq., against BNSF. This matter is before the Court on BNSF’s motion for summary judgment.1 Filing 196. For the reasons discussed below, BNSF’s motion will be denied.

I.STANDARD OF REVIEW

Summary judgment is proper if the movant shows that there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and that the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(a). The movant bears the initial responsibility of informing the Court of the basis for the motion, and must identify those portions of the record which the movant believes demonstrate the absence of a genuine issue of material fact. Torgerson v. City of Rochester, 643 F.3d 1031, 1042 (8th Cir.2011) (en banc). If the movant does so, the nonmovant must respond by submitting evidentiary materials that set out specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue for trial.

On a motion for summary judgment, facts must be viewed in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party only if there is a genuine dispute as to those facts. Id, Credibility determinations, the weighing of the evidence, and the drawing of legitimate inferences from the evidence are jury functions, not those of a judge. Id. But the nonmovant must do more than simply show that there is some metaphysical doubt as to the material facts. Id. In order to show that disputed facts are material, the party opposing summary judgment must cite to the relevant substantive law in identifying facts that might affect the outcome of the suit. Quinn v. St. Louis Cnty., 653 F.3d 745, 751 (8th Cir.2011). The mere existence of a scintilla of evidence in support of the nonmovant’s position will be insufficient; there must be evidence on which the jury could reasonably find for the nonmovant. Barber v. C1 Truck Driver Training, LLC, 656 F.3d 782, 791-92 (8th Cir.2011). Where the record taken as a whole could not lead a rational trier of fact to find for the nonmoving party, there is no genuine issue for trial. Torgerson, 643 F.3d at 1042.

II. FACTUAL BACKGROUND2

The collision in this case occurred at the intersection of County. Road 429 (“CR 429”) and a double main line track near Anselmo, Nebraska. On the evening of February 15, 2012, Madden was working as a BNSF conductor taking an empty coal train from Ravenna, Nebraska to Alliance, Nebraska. In the cab with him was engineer Brad Tyree. Approaching the crossing, the tracks run generally southeast to northwest. Madden’s train was travelling northwest on Main Track 1, approaching the CR 429 crossing. Filing 227 at ¶¶ 1-4.

The layout of this crossing features significantly in the parties’ dispute, and so the Court has included a diagram below.3 At the crossing, the two main line tracks run parallel to State Highway 2, which lies south of the tracks. CR 429 runs north and south and intersects both the rail tracks and Highway 2. CR 429 is not perpendicular with the tracks. Instead, it [1015]*1015intersects them at either a 35 or 50 degree angle (the precise angle is disputed).4 Filing 198-3 at 4-5; filing 198-5 at 156. The intersection was equipped with a crossbuck with a “2 tracks” sign, but no active warning devices such as gates or flashing lights. Filing 227 at If 31; filing 198-5 at 157-58.

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In February, 2012, The Andersons (“Andersons”), an agricultural commodities business, was constructing a grain elevator and rail load out facility on property north of the tracks. The construction plans called for an industry track loop that would connect to BNSF’s main line and provide service to Andersons’ grain elevator. Filing 227 at ¶ 5.

On the evening of February 15, 2012, Antonov was driving northwest on Highway 2 to deliver a large piece of construction equipment to Andersons construction site. As Antonov approached CR 429, a different BNSF train was moving northwest, very slowly, on the southern track (nearest to Highway 2). Antonov pulled over onto the shoulder of Highway 2 rather than turning onto CR 429, because there was little room between the turn and the tracks, and he was concerned that if he turned, his trailer would be blocking part of Highway 2 while he waited for the train to pass. After waiting about 5 minutes, [1016]*1016the slow train passed, and as soon as it had passed, Antonov began turning and proceeded across the tracks. Filing 227 at ¶¶ 6-12. When Antonov approached the crossing, Madden’s train was approaching from the southeast and proceeding in a northwesterly direction on the northern track. Antonov was not able to see Madden’s train because of the angle of the crossing and because his truck’s cab lacked a rear window, and Antonov testified that he did not hear the train’s horn over the noise of his truck and the construction occurring across the tracks at Andersons’ site. Filing 228-4 at 4-7. Antonov testified that he did not realize Madden’s train had been approaching until after the collision. Filing 228-1 at 3.

As Antonov began to cross the tracks, Madden’s train was approaching the crossing, on the far north track, moving at about 54 miles per hour. Filing 227 at ¶¶ 13, 16. This was within the applicable speed limit, which was either 55 or 60 miles per hour. Filing 227 at ¶¶ 13, 16; filing 198-2 at 13; filing 198-5 at 34. Tyree, the engineer, had a clear view of the crossing and Antonov’s truck from his position in the train’s cab. Filing 227 at ¶ 14. At first, Tyree thought that although Anto-nov was cutting it close, his truck and trailer would clear the crossing in time, if Antonov would pick up his pace. Filing 198-5 at 28-29. In accordance with railroad regulations, Tyree had already begun blowing the train’s horn as he approached the crossing. An event recorder from the train shows that the horn was blowing approximately 18 to 19 seconds before the impact. The train’s headlights and ditch lights were also functioning and shining. Filing 198-2 at 15; filing 198-5 at 28.

But a few seconds after he first spotted Antonov’s truck, Tyree testified, it appeared that Antonov had stopped in the middle of the track, and at that point, Tyree realized Antonov would not clear the track in time. Filing 198-5 at 28-29. An-tonov disputes that he stopped, but claims he continued traveling at approximately 5 miles per hour. Filing 198-5 at 58-59. It was about 10 seconds before impact when Tyree realized that Antonov’s truck would not clear the crossing, and at that point Tyree applied the train’s emergency brake. Filing 227 at ¶ 20.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
156 F. Supp. 3d 1011, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 23687, 2015 WL 9690017, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/madden-v-anton-antonov-av-transportation-inc-ned-2015.