Did you know that, as part of the agreement Amtrak has to make with freight lines in order to use their tracks, Amtrak agrees to pay all damages for passenger train accidents that happen on the track, even if the accident was directly caused by the freight line's negligence? (http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9403E1DB173AF936A25753C1A9629C8B63)
So we have the following scenario:
Freight line doesn't maintain the track.
Amtrak train has accident, people are hurt or die.
People sue. The freight line is found guilty of negligence in failing to maintain the track, pays a pittance of a fine.
Amtrak shells out millions of dollars in damages, even though the accident wasn't actually their fault.
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ninetydegrees
no subject
2008-09-29 03:35 (UTC)So we have the following scenario:
Freight line doesn't maintain the track.
Amtrak train has accident, people are hurt or die.
People sue. The freight line is found guilty of negligence in failing to maintain the track, pays a pittance of a fine.
Amtrak shells out millions of dollars in damages, even though the accident wasn't actually their fault.
And they wonder why Amtrak sucks so hard…