TRAIN ACCIDENT: Judge orders $200 million settlement for Chatsworth train accident

September 14, 2010

Los Angeles – Federal Judge George Wu of the Central District of California has ordered Metrolink and Union Pacific to deposit the $200 million as settlement for the victims of Chatsworth train accident, reports said.

The federal judge also has yet to approve the settlement amount as compensation for the 25 passengers killed and dozens of others injured in the accident, reports said.

Metrolink train crashed onto an oncoming Union Pacific train in Chatsworth on September 12, killing the engineer and injured the other train operator, police said.

Los Angeles Police Department authorities are reviewing the report submitted by National Transportation Safety Board regarding an alleged cellphone use when the accident happened.

The report indicated that the engineer might have been texting while operating the train. This could have resulted to running on red light and missed the warning to not proceed on the single-track lane.

Metrolink and Union Pacific have to deposit the $200 million by October 20.