(The following story by Stacie Hamel appeared on the Omaha World-Herald website on September 7.)
OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific Railroad has filed a lawsuit against a railcar equipment manufacturer for defects it says contributed to three derailments.
The railroad is asking for more than $4.3 million for cleanup costs, train delays, property damage and the need to remove and replace the equipment.
Defendants are Meridian Rail Services Corp. of Huntsville, Ala.; Three Cities Research Inc. of New York City; and Olympus Partners Inc. of Stamford, Conn. Three Cities bought Meridian in late 2002, then sold it to Olympus in November 2004.
Representatives for the three companies could not immediately be reached for comment.
No one was available at U.P. to comment or to confirm details of the Aug. 31 filing, said spokesman Mark Davis.
According to the lawsuit filed in Douglas County District Court, the derailments happened March 15, 2004, near Bridgeport, Neb., and Oct. 20, 2004, near Lisbon, Iowa, and near New Oshkosh, Neb. The lawsuit does not indicate any injuries from the derailments.
Meridian makes rail equipment, including the axles and car sets – which hold the wheels in place – that U.P. bought and claims were defective.
The lawsuit claims that Meridian made the car sets’ side frames – which contain the axle parts of the wheel – of 446 car sets thinner than the standard set by the American Association of Railroads. U.P. purchased the car sets in April 2002.
Side frames on two car sets failed under normal use leading to the March 15 derailment, the lawsuit states.
U.P. bought two axles from Meridian Rail in August 2004 that later failed, contributing to the two Oct. 20, 2004, derailments, according to the lawsuit. The railroad claims Meridian misapplied bearings and wheels, causing grinding on the axle and creating excessive heat and leading to the failures.