BLET member James Gregory Hadden was one of two crew members killed in the line of duty in Mineral Springs, N.C., on May 24, 2011.
A CSX locomotive engineer, Brother Hadden just 35 years old. He was a member of BLET Division 498 in Abbeville, S.C. He joined the Brotherhood on March 1, 2003.
Also killed was conductor Phillip Crawford, 33, a five year employee with CSX. Brother Hadden was a 10-year CSX veteran. The two men were killed when their train rear-ended another, derailing multiple cars and causing a fire that forced the evacuation of several homes.