Amtrak, BNSF seek change of venue in Chariton County train crash cases

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Amtrak and BNSF are asking judges to move at least three cases over a deadly summer train crash because too few people live in Chariton County.

Passenger rail carrier Amtrak and railroad company BNSF are the subjects of multiple state and federal lawsuits over the June crash of Amtrak's Southwest Chief No. 4 train near Mendon in Chariton County. Crash victims, their family members and some Amtrak employees are seeking damages alleging Amtrak and BNSF did not take proper precautions to prevent the crash.

The train derailed after hitting a dump truck at a crossing that did not have lights or audible signals. The dump truck driver died and the company he worked for has also been named in lawsuits.

Amtrak and BNSF are asking for the venue changes under a Missouri Supreme Court rule that allows such moves for cases in counties with fewer than 75,000 residents. Chariton County had a population of about 7,400 in the 2020 census.

The companies are asking to move the case to Sullivan County in north-central Missouri.