Pennsylvania Co. v. Stalker

119 N.E. 163, 67 Ind. App. 329, 1918 Ind. App. LEXIS 165
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedApril 5, 1918
DocketNo. 9,404
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 119 N.E. 163 (Pennsylvania Co. v. Stalker) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Pennsylvania Co. v. Stalker, 119 N.E. 163, 67 Ind. App. 329, 1918 Ind. App. LEXIS 165 (Ind. Ct. App. 1918).

Opinion

Dausmax, J.

This action was instituted by the appellee against the appellant to recover damages resulting from the death of appellee’s decedent, who was killed by one of appellant’s passenger trains. Verdict and judgment for appellee in the sum of $1,300.

On September 28, 1913, George Stalker was, and for eight months prior thereto had been, in the employment of appellant as a section man at Valparaiso, Indiana. On said day, and for a long time prior thereto, appellant owned and operated a double-track •railroad, extending from the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to the city of Chicago, Illinois, through the city of Valparaiso, Indiana. The tracks through Valparaiso run nearly east and west and intersect a number of public streets in said city. One of said streets is known as Franklin street and the next street west of Franklin, is known as "Washington street. Between said streets and about twelve feet south of the south track was located a toolhouse in which hand cars and tools were stored. Leading from Franklin street to the toolhouse was a cinder path about six feet wide and about six feet south of the south track and running parallel with the track. This path was smooth and had been constructed for the purpose of affording a safe way from Franklin street to the toolhouse. At a point 200 feet east of the' toolhouse the tracks curved to the southeast, the curve being [332]*332about 900 feet long. There were no buildings on the south side of the tracks near the right of way, and nothing to obstruct the view eastward from said tool house except the gates at Franklin street, the semaphore just east of Franklin street, and the telegraph poles, wires and cross-arms along the south side of the right of way. A person standing in front of the toolhouse near the south line of the track and looking eastward could see an approaching train at a distance of 2,150 feet; and, standing at the same place and looking eastward, could determine on which track the train was approaching at a distance of at least 850 feet. Washington street and Franklin street were guarded by gates. These gates were operated by the tower man in the tower at Washington street. The south gate at Franklin street was equipped with a ratchet gong which rang when the gates were lowered. The tower was equipped with a large dinner bell, and at Franklin street there was an electric gong on an iron pole, and this bell and gong were operated by the tower man when a train approached.

Appellant was engaged in operating passenger and freight trains between Pittsburgh and Chicago. Between fifty and sixty trains ran over its road each day, and from twenty-five to thirty of these were passenger trains. In accordance with the established operating plan, trains going east ran on the south track and trains going west ran on the north track. So perfectly was this plan executed that on one occasion only during Stalker’s term of service did a train run west on the south track. But on the morning of September 28,1913, appellant’s passenger train No. 15 was running westward into Valparaiso on the "south track, contrary- to the custom and against the [333]*333current of traffic. This train had been transferred from the west-bound track to the east-bound track at Morgan, a few miles east of Valparaiso, for the reason that the former track was obstructed by a freight train. Train No. 15 was scheduled to arrive at Valparaiso at 5:56 a. m., but on this morning it was running somewhat late and passed the toolhouse between 6:10 and 6:20 a. m.

During the entire period of Stalker’s employment he was required to go on an inspection trip over the section on which he worked, with certain other members of the crew, every alternate Sunday morning. For this purpose they assembled at the toolhouse, from which they procured their usual tools and a hand car. The time fixed for starting on these trips was 6:30 a. m. On the morning of said day Stalker left his home intending to go on the usual inspection tri]t. He took the cinder path at Franklin street and walked westward to a point in front of the toolhouse. Here he stopped and stood momently, looking to the west, and about one foot south of the south track. While in this position he was struck by the locomotive drawing said train, his body was hurled about eighty-five feet, and he was instantly killed. The train was running at the rate of thirty to forty miles per hour, which was its usual speed at that place. The locomo- and could not see Stalker because the locomotive itself obstructed his view in that direction, especially when rounding the curve in the tracks. The fireman was shoveling coal into the fire box and had no opportunity to look ahead. It is customary when coming into a town for the fireman to keep a lookout, and he usually provides for the fire beforehand. The [334]*334coal furnished him on that morning was of very poor quality and that made it hard to keep up the fire. Under the company’s rules it is the duty of a fireman, when not shoveling coal, to look ahead, and if he should see anybody on the track, it is his duty to inform the engineer, and thereupon it becomes the duty of the engineer to give the warning signal. The warm ing signal consists of a succession of short blasts of the whistle. The fireman knew that the train was running on the unusual track and against the current of traffic. He was unable to say whether any warning signal had been given, because he was busy with the fire, and he did not see anybody near the track or the toolhouse. The train ran to the station — a few rods west of the toolhouse — where it made the usual stop and then proceeded on its way. Neither the engineer nor the fireman knew of the accident until they were informed of it on their arrival at Chicago. As the train approached, the crossing ¡signal was given at Greenwich street and also at Axe avenue, east of Franklin street, by two long and two short blasts of the locomotive whistle, but the whistle was not blown between Axe avenue and Franklin street. The bell on the locomotive was operated mechanically and it rang continuously from Greenwich street to the place of the accident. "When the tower man observed the train approaching he set to ringing the electric gong on the iron post at Franklin street and it continued to ring until the accident. He lowered the gates, and the ratchet bell rang as the Franklin street gates went down. He rang the large bell in the tower, and on observing Stalker’s perilous situation, he called to him. To all these warnings Stalker was oblivious.

[335]*335A person with good hearing, standing where Stalker stood as the train approached, under all the conditions then existing, could have heard all said warning signals, except that he probably could not have heard the calling of the tower man because the train was then too close upon him. Stalker’s hearing was good. He could have heard the locomotive bell in time to have moved to a place of safety. Had he looked to the east when the gates were being lowered at Franklin street, he could have seen the train approaching on the south track in time to have moved' to a place of safety.

Some time after commencing his work as a section man his foreman warned him that trains were liable to run either way on either track and that he would have to pay diligent attention to the approach of trains from either direction on either track and to-keep out of their way. In addition to this oral warning, the foreman gave him a pamphlet prepared by the safety committee and containing information, suggestions and advice, designed for the prevention-of personal injuries to railway employes generally.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
119 N.E. 163, 67 Ind. App. 329, 1918 Ind. App. LEXIS 165, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/pennsylvania-co-v-stalker-indctapp-1918.