$182 Million Settlement Achieved in 2015 New York Train Crossing Accident Resulting in 6 Fatalities

A significant settlement exceeding $182 million has been reached for victims of a tragic 2015 collision involving a train and an SUV at a suburban New York crossing. This incident, which occurred in Valhalla—approximately 20 miles (32 kilometers) north of New York City—resulted in the deaths of five passengers.

The majority of the settlement with Metro-North Railroad is allocated to the families of those who lost their lives in the accident. Notably, around $79 million will be awarded to one specific passenger, calculated based on their projected lifetime earnings. Meanwhile, the payouts for the families of the other deceased passengers range from $35 million to $4 million.

Last week, the Journal News reviewed the settlement details before they were sealed by a judge, making them unavailable to the public. In 2024, a jury determined that Metro-North was responsible for 71% of the liability concerning the deaths of the five passengers and the injuries sustained by others. Additionally, the jury found the railroad liable for 63% of the responsibility for the death of the SUV driver, whose vehicle was trapped on the tracks. The train engineer and the railroad’s oversight of the electrified third rail were specifically cited as contributing factors.

Andrew Maloney, an attorney representing some of the approximately 30 injured passengers, expressed frustration over the prolonged litigation process. “This should have never taken 11 years,” he stated on Monday. “They dragged it out.” He also highlighted that issues related to the design of the third rail, which were identified years ago, remain unresolved.

While the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), which operates the commuter system serving parts of Connecticut as well, declined to comment on the specifics of the settlement, it did release a statement indicating ongoing collaboration with state and federal transportation officials. The MTA has been working on “material railroad crossing safety enhancements throughout the railroad network over the last decade.”

The catastrophic crash occurred on February 3, 2015, during the evening rush hour. The SUV entered the tracks while navigating through backed-up traffic, leading to the crossing gate arm coming down onto the vehicle. The driver inadvertently drove further onto the tracks, resulting in a collision with the train traveling at approximately 50 mph (80 kph). The train’s engineer activated the emergency brake just three seconds before the impact. The collision was so severe that parts of the electrified third rail were torn from the ground, puncturing the SUV’s gas tank and slicing into the first passenger car of the train.

Top Photo: A police officer examines an SUV that was crushed at the front of a Metro-North Railroad train on February 4, 2015, in Valhalla, N.Y. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)

Copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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New York

A significant settlement exceeding $182 million has been reached for victims of a tragic 2015 collision involving a train and an SUV at a suburban New York crossing. This incident, which occurred in Valhalla—approximately 20 miles (32 kilometers) north of New York City—resulted in the deaths of five passengers.

The majority of the settlement with Metro-North Railroad is allocated to the families of those who lost their lives in the accident. Notably, around $79 million will be awarded to one specific passenger, calculated based on their projected lifetime earnings. Meanwhile, the payouts for the families of the other deceased passengers range from $35 million to $4 million.

Last week, the Journal News reviewed the settlement details before they were sealed by a judge, making them unavailable to the public. In 2024, a jury determined that Metro-North was responsible for 71% of the liability concerning the deaths of the five passengers and the injuries sustained by others. Additionally, the jury found the railroad liable for 63% of the responsibility for the death of the SUV driver, whose vehicle was trapped on the tracks. The train engineer and the railroad’s oversight of the electrified third rail were specifically cited as contributing factors.

Andrew Maloney, an attorney representing some of the approximately 30 injured passengers, expressed frustration over the prolonged litigation process. “This should have never taken 11 years,” he stated on Monday. “They dragged it out.” He also highlighted that issues related to the design of the third rail, which were identified years ago, remain unresolved.

While the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), which operates the commuter system serving parts of Connecticut as well, declined to comment on the specifics of the settlement, it did release a statement indicating ongoing collaboration with state and federal transportation officials. The MTA has been working on “material railroad crossing safety enhancements throughout the railroad network over the last decade.”

The catastrophic crash occurred on February 3, 2015, during the evening rush hour. The SUV entered the tracks while navigating through backed-up traffic, leading to the crossing gate arm coming down onto the vehicle. The driver inadvertently drove further onto the tracks, resulting in a collision with the train traveling at approximately 50 mph (80 kph). The train’s engineer activated the emergency brake just three seconds before the impact. The collision was so severe that parts of the electrified third rail were torn from the ground, puncturing the SUV’s gas tank and slicing into the first passenger car of the train.

Top Photo: A police officer examines an SUV that was crushed at the front of a Metro-North Railroad train on February 4, 2015, in Valhalla, N.Y. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)

Copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Topics
New York