File 2005.17: Chase v. BNSF

Case Type: Railroad Crossing Accident

Description:
A car carrying 4 teenagers was struck by a BNSF train. The train sheared the car in half, throwing all occupants and killing them on impact. The driver's view of the tracks was blocked by a building and faulty cross-arms failed to warn the driver a train was approaching.

Phase 1, Pre-Visualization, Measurement and Discovery:
Fearless Eye traveled to the site of the accident, took photos, measurements and video footage. This information was combined to generate accurate 3D models of the site at the time of the accident.

Phase 2, Visualizations Produced:
Once 3D models of the train and vehicle were placed into the scene, it was clear that the defense claim that the teens were trying to beat the train by swerving around the cross-arms. Based on gouge and skid marks and final resting place of the vehicle, the car was in it's own lane at the time of impact.