Pylant v. C. R. I. & P. Ry. Co.

8 La. App. 350, 1928 La. App. LEXIS 521
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedFebruary 3, 1928
DocketNo. 3121
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 8 La. App. 350 (Pylant v. C. R. I. & P. Ry. Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Pylant v. C. R. I. & P. Ry. Co., 8 La. App. 350, 1928 La. App. LEXIS 521 (La. Ct. App. 1928).

Opinion

WEBB, J.

This suit was instituted by plaintiff, John Pylant, to recover judgment against defendant, Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway Company, for damages for personal injuries sustained by plaintiff •as the result of a collision between a motor truck being driven 'by plaintiff and a train operated by defendant.

The collision occurred in the corporate limits of Bernice, in the Parish of Union, during the afternoon of December 5, 1925, on one of the streets of the municipality, which is crossed approximately at right angles by three tracks of defendant, and resulted in practically demolishing the motor truck, owned by J. E. Buckley, in whose employment plaintiff was engaged at the time, and in severely injuring plaintiff, and in the death of Charlie Ford, a boy thirteen years of age, who was in the motor truck being driven by plaintiff, Pylant, and there were three suits filed against the defendant, including the present, and the others by J. E. Buckley to recover for repairs to the motor truck, and by M. L. Ford, father of Charlie Ford, for the loss of affection, companionship and aid and comfort sustained by him in the death of his son.

The three cases were consolidated for the purpose of trial, and- judgment being rendered against all of the plaintiffs, each appealed and appear on the docket of this Court under the number and style above, and Nos. 3120, James E. Buckley versus Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway Company, and 3119, Martin L. Ford versus Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway Company, all this day decided. ■

The defendant’s line runs approximately north and south through Bernice, and on the street where the collision occurred, which runs east and west, three tracks, referred to in the evidence as the “main,” “house,” and “team” tracks, cross the street and are practically parallel at the point where they intersect the street, the “team” track being east of the “house” track about sixty feet, and the “house” track being east of the “main” track about fourteen feet.

At a point on the “main” track at an approximate distance of three hundred feet from the street crossing, is a switch stand from which point the “house” track diverges from the “main” track, and at a point on the “house” track, approximately sixty feet north of the switch stand on the “main” track, there is another switch stand from which the “team” track diverges from the “house” track, continuing until it reaches the street crossing, and [352]*352thence across the street for some distance, north, where there is located a platform trom which cotton, or other articles to be shipped, may be loaded on cars placed at that point.

On the afternoon of the accident a north bound freight train stopped south of the switch stand on the “fhain” track, and the locomotive was cut loose and used in switching operations and with the object of placing empty cars at the platform on the “team” track north of the street intersection, and while the trainmen were engaged in switching the cars onto and over the “team” track, Pylant, driving the motor truck on the street, approached and came upon the “team” track from the east, where one of the cars which the trainmen were handling on the .“team” track collided with the truck, with the results stated.

The plaintiffs in each of the suits alleged that the collision was due to the negligence of the defendant, charging that in the switching operations a box car had been thrown onto the “team” track, where • it stopped at a point south of the street crossing and in such situation as to obscure and render it impossible for one approaching the “team” track to see a train on the “team” track approaching south of the box car, and further, that the cars being switched over the “team” track were driven at an excessive rate of speed, without a flagman being stationed at the street crossing, and without a lookout being maintained or any warning signals being given of the approach of the cars, and other charges of negligence which are not pressed here, with the exception that it is contended that, even though it be held the driver of the motor truck, Pylant, was negligent in failing to stop, look and listen before driving upon the track, the accident could have been avoided had the trainmen exercised ordinary care after the driver of the truck had placed the truck in a perilous position.

We find, as the trial court did, that the evidence established that there was not a flagman stationed at the street crossing and that there was not a proper lookout maintained by having a brakeman stationed on the front of the cars, although there was a brakeman running along the side of the train near the end nearest the crossing, and although the engineer, who had some view of the street from which Pylant approached the crossing, maintained a lookout, and although there was another brakeman riding on the cars who could transmit to the engineer the signals given by the brakeman running along the side of the train, and we also agree with the Coux’t in its finding that Pylant, the driver of the truck, did not stop the truck and look and listen before driving upon the track, and even if the box car was standing next to the street crossing, it did not obstruct the view of Pylant, who, had he looked, would have seen the approaching train, and we also concur in the finding of the Court that the evidence did not establish that the train of cars was being driven at an excessive rate ot speed, and that the bell-on the locomotive was ringing as the train approached the crossing; we differ, however, with the trial court as to its finding that a box car was standing on the “team” track, and that - it was struck by the train and thrown onto the crossing, striking the truck, but we find that the evidence establishes that the car which struck the truck was coupled to and a part of the train being shoved over the “team” track.

In view of our differing with the trial court as to the finding of fact in the respect stated, without quoting the evidence, we will state that all of the wit[353]*353nesses who claimed to have noticed the switching operations, with the exception, possibly, of J. E. Buckley, one of the plaintiffs, who was inside of his store during the switching operations,' stated that the “team” track had been cleared of all cars, and therb was not any one who claimed to have seen a box car thrown onto the “team” track by a “flying switch,” and although J. E. Buckley and Pylant, the prese'nt plaintiff, were positive -a box car was standing on the “team” track in the situation alleged by plaintiff, and their testimony is somewhat supported by other witnesses, the trainmen, who were the conductor, engineer and three brakemen, testified that the car which struck the truck was coupled to and a part of the train, and their testimony is supported by the station agent and by two disinterested witnesses.

It appears from the written opinion of the trial court, that he accepted the version of the witnesses for the plaintiff rather than that of the trainmen, for the reason that he found that a “flying switch” had been made during the switching operations, and under a misapprehension of the testimony of the trainmen that they had not mentioned the “flying switch” in their minute detail of the operations, he appears to have concluded that the trainmen had wilfully withheld something, and accepted the version of plaintiff’s witnesses as to the fact.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Grappe v. Tex. & Pac. Ry. Co.
133 So. 802 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1931)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
8 La. App. 350, 1928 La. App. LEXIS 521, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/pylant-v-c-r-i-p-ry-co-lactapp-1928.