Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca8-05-01947/USCOURTS-ca8-05-01947-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 360
Nature of Suit: Other Personal Injury
Cause of Action: 

---

United States Court of Appeals

FOR THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT

___________

No. 05-1918 

___________

Tom Lundeen, individually; Nanette *

Lundeen, and as parents and natural *

guardians of Molly Lundeen, a minor, *

and Michael Lundeen, *

*

Plaintiffs - Appellees, *

*

v. *

*

Canadian Pacific Railway Company; *

Canadian Pacific Ltd, Sued as Canadian *

Pacific Limited; Canadian Pacific *

Railway Limited; Soo Line Railroad *

Company, *

*

Defendants - Appellants. *

___________

Appeals from the United States

No. 05-1920 District Court for the

___________ District of Minnesota.

John Salling, individually; Lorenda *

Poissant Salling, individually, and on *

behalf of, and as parent and natural *

guardian of Sebastian Poissant, a minor, *

*

Plaintiffs - Appellees, *

*

v. *

*

Canadian Pacific Railway Company; *

Canadian Pacific Ltd, Sued as Canadian *

Appellate Case: 05-1947 Page: 1 Date Filed: 05/16/2006 Entry ID: 2045151
-2-

Pacific Limited; Canadian Pacific *

Railway Limited; Soo Line Railroad *

Company, *

*

Defendants - Appellants. *

___________

No. 05-1922 

___________

Dion Darveaux, individually, on behalf *

of, and as parent and natural guardian *

of Kendall Darveaux, a minor; Brenda *

Darveaux, individually, on behalf of, *

and as a parent and natural guardian of *

Kendall Darveaux, a minor, *

*

Plaintiffs - Appellees, *

*

v. *

*

Canadian Pacific Railway Company; *

Canadian Pacific Ltd, Sued as Canadian *

Pacific Limited; Canadian Pacific *

Railway Limited; Soo Line Railroad *

Company, *

*

Defendants - Appellants. *

___________

No. 05-1923 

___________

Larry Schafer, individually, and on *

behalf of, and as parent and natural *

guardian of Jenna Schafer, a minor; *

Tami Schafer, individually, and on *

Appellate Case: 05-1947 Page: 2 Date Filed: 05/16/2006 Entry ID: 2045151
-3-

behalf of, and as parent and natural *

guardian of Jenna Schafer, a minor, *

*

Plaintiff - Appellee, *

*

v. *

*

Canadian Pacific Railway Company; *

Canadian Pacific Ltd, Sued as Canadian *

Pacific Limited; Canadian Pacific *

Railway Limited; Soo Line Railroad *

Company, *

*

Defendants - Appellants. *

___________

No. 05-1924 

___________

Gerald Wickman *

*

Plaintiff - Appellee, *

*

v. *

*

Canadian Pacific Railway Company; *

Canadian Pacific Ltd, Sued as Canadian *

Pacific Limited; Canadian Pacific *

Railway Limited; Soo Line Railroad *

Company, *

*

Defendants - Appellants. *

___________

No. 05-1925 

___________

Appellate Case: 05-1947 Page: 3 Date Filed: 05/16/2006 Entry ID: 2045151
-4-

Charles Swenson; Sandra Swenson, *

*

Plaintiffs - Appellees, *

*

v. *

*

Canadian Pacific Railway Company; *

Canadian Pacific Ltd, Sued as Canadian *

Pacific Limited; Canadian Pacific *

Railway Limited; Soo Line Railroad *

Company, *

*

Defendants - Appellants. *

___________

No. 05-1926

___________

Rebecca Behnkie, individually, and on *

behalf of, and as parent and natural *

guardian of Nathaniel Behnkie, a *

minor, *

*

Plaintiff - Appellee, *

*

v. *

*

Canadian Pacific Railway Company; *

Canadian Pacific Ltd, Sued as Canadian *

Pacific Limited; Canadian Pacific *

Railway Limited; Soo Line Railroad *

Company, *

*

Defendants - Appellants. *

Appellate Case: 05-1947 Page: 4 Date Filed: 05/16/2006 Entry ID: 2045151
-5-

___________

No. 05-1927 

___________

Marilyn Carlson, *

*

Plaintiff - Appellee, *

*

v. *

*

Canadian Pacific Railway Company; *

Canadian Pacific Ltd, Sued as Canadian *

Pacific Limited; Canadian Pacific *

Railway Limited; Soo Line Railroad *

Company, *

*

Defendants - Appellants. *

___________

No. 05-1928 

___________

Larry Crabbe; Carol Crabbe, *

*

Plaintiffs - Appellees, *

*

v. *

*

Canadian Pacific Railway Company; *

Canadian Pacific Ltd, Sued as Canadian *

Pacific Limited; Canadian Pacific *

Railway Limited; Soo Line Railroad *

Company, *

*

Defendants - Appellants. *

Appellate Case: 05-1947 Page: 5 Date Filed: 05/16/2006 Entry ID: 2045151
-6-

___________

No. 05-1929 

___________

Wilfred Dahly; Geraldine Dahly, *

*

Plaintiffs - Appellees, *

*

v. *

*

Canadian Pacific Railway Company; *

Canadian Pacific Ltd, Sued as Canadian *

Pacific Limited; Canadian Pacific *

Railway Limited; Soo Line Railroad *

Company, *

*

Defendants - Appellants. *

___________

No. 05-1930 

___________

Denise Duchsherer; Leo Duchsherer; * 

Joshua Duchsherer, *

*

Plaintiffs - Appellees, *

*

v. *

*

Canadian Pacific Railway Company; *

Canadian Pacific Ltd, Sued as Canadian *

Pacific Limited; Canadian Pacific *

Railway Limited; Soo Line Railroad *

Company, *

*

Defendants - Appellants. *

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___________

No. 05-1931 

___________

Judy Deutsch, individually, and on *

behalf of, and as natural guardian of *

Tyrone Deutsch, a minor, *

*

Plaintiff - Appellee, *

*

v. *

*

Canadian Pacific Railway Company; *

Canadian Pacific Ltd, Sued as Canadian *

Pacific Limited; Canadian Pacific *

Railway Limited; Soo Line Railroad *

Company, *

*

Defendants - Appellants. *

___________

No. 05-1932 

___________

Jo Ann Flick, *

*

Plaintiff - Appellee, *

*

v. *

*

Canadian Pacific Railway Company; *

Canadian Pacific Ltd, Sued as Canadian *

Pacific Limited; Canadian Pacific *

Railway Limited; Soo Line Railroad *

Company, *

*

Defendants - Appellants. *

Appellate Case: 05-1947 Page: 7 Date Filed: 05/16/2006 Entry ID: 2045151
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___________

No. 05-1933 

___________

Leo Gleason, *

*

Plaintiff - Appellee, *

*

v. *

*

Canadian Pacific Railway Company; *

Canadian Pacific Ltd, Sued as Canadian *

Pacific Limited; Canadian Pacific *

Railway Limited; Soo Line Railroad *

Company, *

*

Defendants - Appellants. *

___________

No. 05-1934 

___________

Charlotte Goerndt, *

*

Plaintiff - Appellee, *

*

v. *

*

Canadian Pacific Railway Company; *

Canadian Pacific Ltd, Sued as Canadian *

Pacific Limited; Canadian Pacific *

Railway Limited; Soo Line Railroad *

Company, *

*

Defendants - Appellants. *

Appellate Case: 05-1947 Page: 8 Date Filed: 05/16/2006 Entry ID: 2045151
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___________

No. 05-1935 

___________

Mary Beth Gross, individually, and on * 

behalf of, and as parent and natural *

guardian of Brett Gross, a minor, *

*

Plaintiff - Appellee, *

*

v. *

*

Canadian Pacific Railway Company; *

Canadian Pacific Ltd, Sued as Canadian *

Pacific Limited; Canadian Pacific *

Railway Limited; Soo Line Railroad *

Company, *

*

Defendants - Appellants. *

___________

No. 05-1936

___________

Darla M. Just, *

*

Plaintiff - Appellee, *

*

v. *

*

Canadian Pacific Railway Company; *

Canadian Pacific Ltd, Sued as Canadian *

Pacific Limited; Canadian Pacific *

Railway Limited; Soo Line Railroad *

Company, *

*

Defendants - Appellants. *

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-10-

___________

No. 05-1937 

___________

Irene Clore Korgel, *

*

Plaintiff - Appellee, *

*

v. *

*

Canadian Pacific Railway Company; *

Canadian Pacific Ltd, Sued as Canadian *

Pacific Limited; Canadian Pacific *

Railway Limited; Soo Line Railroad *

Company, *

*

Defendants - Appellants. *

___________

No. 05-1938 

___________

Richard McBride; Linda McBride, *

*

Plaintiffs - Appellees, *

*

v. *

*

Canadian Pacific Railway Company; *

Canadian Pacific Ltd, Sued as Canadian *

Pacific Limited; Canadian Pacific *

Railway Limited; Soo Line Railroad *

Company, *

*

Defendants - Appellants. *

Appellate Case: 05-1947 Page: 10 Date Filed: 05/16/2006 Entry ID: 2045151
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___________

No. 05-1939 

___________

Richard Muhlbradt, *

*

Plaintiff - Appellee, * 

*

v. *

*

Canadian Pacific Railway Company; *

Canadian Pacific Ltd, Sued as Canadian *

Pacific Limited; Canadian Pacific *

Railway Limited; Soo Line Railroad *

Company, *

*

Defendants - Appellants. *

___________

No. 05-1940 

___________

Lonnie Shigley, *

*

Plaintiff - Appellee, *

*

v. *

*

Canadian Pacific Railway Company; *

Canadian Pacific Ltd, Sued as Canadian *

Pacific Limited; Canadian Pacific *

Railway Limited; Soo Line Railroad *

Company, *

*

Defendants - Appellants. *

Appellate Case: 05-1947 Page: 11 Date Filed: 05/16/2006 Entry ID: 2045151
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___________

No. 05-1941 

___________

Bobby Smith; Mary Smith, *

*

Plaintiffs - Appellees, *

*

v. *

*

Canadian Pacific Railway Company; *

Canadian Pacific Ltd, Sued as Canadian *

Pacific Limited; Canadian Pacific *

Railway Limited; Soo Line Railroad *

Company, *

*

Defendants - Appellants. *

___________

No. 05-1942 

___________

Rachelle Todosichuk, *

*

Plaintiff - Appellee, *

*

v. *

*

Canadian Pacific Railway Company; *

Canadian Pacific Ltd, Sued as Canadian *

Pacific Limited; Canadian Pacific *

Railway Limited; Soo Line Railroad *

Company, *

*

Defendants - Appellants. *

Appellate Case: 05-1947 Page: 12 Date Filed: 05/16/2006 Entry ID: 2045151
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___________

No. 05-1943 

___________

Shelly Hingst, *

*

Plaintiff - Appellee, *

*

v. *

*

Canadian Pacific Railway Company; *

Canadian Pacific Ltd, Sued as Canadian *

Pacific Limited; Canadian Pacific *

Railway Limited; Soo Line Railroad *

Company, *

*

Defendants - Appellants. *

___________

No. 05-1944 

___________

Nathan Freeman, individually, and on *

behalf of, and as parents and natural *

guardians of Ashlyn Freeman, a minor; *

Nicole Freeman, individually, and on *

behalf of, and as parents and natural *

guardians of Ashlyn Freeman, a minor *

*

Plaintiffs - Appellees, *

*

v. * .

*

Canadian Pacific Railway Company; *

Canadian Pacific Ltd, Sued as Canadian *

Pacific Limited; Canadian Pacific *

Railway Limited; Soo Line Railroad *

Company, *

Appellate Case: 05-1947 Page: 13 Date Filed: 05/16/2006 Entry ID: 2045151
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Defendants - Appellants. *

___________

No. 05-1945 

___________

Doug Weltzin, *

*

Plaintiff - Appellee, *

*

v. *

*

Canadian Pacific Railway Company; *

Canadian Pacific Ltd, Sued as Canadian *

Pacific Limited; Canadian Pacific *

Railway Limited; Soo Line Railroad *

Company, *

*

Defendants - Appellants. *

___________

No. 05-1946 

___________

Melissa Todd, *

*

Plaintiff - Appellee, *

*

v. *

*

Canadian Pacific Railway Company; *

Canadian Pacific Ltd, Sued as Canadian *

Pacific Limited; Canadian Pacific *

Railway Limited; Soo Line Railroad *

Company, *

*

Defendants - Appellants. *

Appellate Case: 05-1947 Page: 14 Date Filed: 05/16/2006 Entry ID: 2045151
-15-

___________

No. 05-1947 

___________

Ray Lakoduk, *

*

Plaintiff - Appellee , *

*

v. *

*

Canadian Pacific Railway Company; *

Canadian Pacific Ltd, Sued as Canadian *

Pacific Limited; Canadian Pacific *

Railway Limited; Soo Line Railroad *

Company, *

*

Defendants - Appellants. *

___________

No. 05-1948 

___________

Trent Westmeyer; Randi Lou *

Westmeyer, *

*

Plaintiffs - Appellees, *

*

v. * .

*

Canadian Pacific Railway Company; *

Canadian Pacific Ltd, Sued as Canadian *

Pacific Limited; Canadian Pacific *

Railway Limited; Soo Line Railroad *

Company, *

*

Defendants - Appellants. *

Appellate Case: 05-1947 Page: 15 Date Filed: 05/16/2006 Entry ID: 2045151
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___________

No. 05-1949 

___________

Leroy Slorby, *

*

Plaintiff - Appellee, *

*

v. *

*

Canadian Pacific Railway Company; *

Canadian Pacific Ltd, Sued as Canadian *

Pacific Limited; Canadian Pacific *

Railway Limited; Soo Line Railroad *

Company, *

*

Defendants - Appellants. *

___________

No. 05-1950

___________

Mark Nisbet; Sandra Nisbet, *

*

Plaintiffs - Appellees, *

*

v. * .

*

Canadian Pacific Railway Company; *

Canadian Pacific Ltd, Sued as Canadian *

Pacific Limited; Canadian Pacific *

Railway Limited; Soo Line Railroad *

Company, *

*

Defendants - Appellants. *

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___________

 Submitted: October 14, 2005 

 Filed: May 16, 2006

___________

Before BYE, BEAM, and SMITH, Circuit Judges.

___________

BYE, Circuit Judge.

Canadian Pacific Railway Company (CP Rail) appeals the district court’s

orders allowing the Lundeens to amend their complaint and remanding the case to

state court. We reverse and remand.

I

This action was originally filed by the Lundeens against CP Rail in Minnesota

state court. They sued for personal injuries and property damages suffered as a result

of a CP Rail freight train derailment in North Dakota. CP Rail removed to the United

States District Court for the District of Minnesota based on federal question

jurisdiction. The Lundeens amended their complaint in an attempt to remove the

federal question. The district court declined to exercise its discretionary jurisdiction

over what it construed to be remaining state law claims and remanded to state court.

CP Rail appealed, challenging the order allowing the Lundeens to amend their

complaint and the remand as improper forum shopping. Regardless of the merits of

the forum-shopping argument, we note the amended complaint continues to claim,

among other things, CP Rail negligently inspected their tracks as shown by failing to

comply with the rules and regulations of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA),

and we thus hold the district court continues to have jurisdiction through complete

preemption of the state law claim of negligent inspection.

Appellate Case: 05-1947 Page: 17 Date Filed: 05/16/2006 Entry ID: 2045151
1

Although the current version of the FRSA’s preemption clause is worded

slightly differently from the original version, we have noted the two versions are

“identical in substance.” Cearley v. Gen. Am. Transp. Corp., 186 F.3d 887, 890 n.5

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II

A question of subject-matter jurisdiction may be raised sua sponte at any time.

Long v. Area Manager, Bureau of Reclamation, 236 F.3d 910, 916 (8th Cir. 2001)

(citation omitted). Generally, a plaintiff can avoid removal to federal court by

alleging only state law claims. Gaming Corp. of Am. v. Dorsey & Whitney, 88 F.3d

536, 542 (8th Cir. 1996) (citing Caterpillar Inc. v. Williams, 482 U.S. 386, 392

(1987)). However, there are exceptions to this general rule. One basis for removal

is federal question jurisdiction. See 28 U.S.C. § 1441. A federal question is raised

in “those cases in which a well-pleaded complaint establishes either that federal law

creates the cause of action or that the plaintiff’s right to relief necessarily depends on

resolution of a substantial question of federal law.” Franchise Tax Bd. v. Constr.

Laborers Vacation Trust, 463 U.S. 1, 27-28 (1983) (emphasis added). Additionally

“complete” preemption is an exception to the well-pleaded complaint rule and, unlike

preemption as a defense, is a basis for federal jurisdiction. Gaming Corp., 88 F.3d at

543.

Congressional intent is the “ultimate touchstone” guiding preemption analysis.

Pilot Life Ins. Co. v. Dedeaux, 481 U.S. 41, 45 (1987) (citations omitted). “If the

statute contains an express preemption clause, then the statutory construction should

center on its plain meaning as the best evidence of Congress’s preemptive intent.”

Peters v. Union Pac. R.R., 80 F.3d 257, 261 (8th Cir. 1996). Here, the Lundeens

assert in part CP Rail negligently inspected railroad tracks, so we look to the Federal

Railroad Safety Act (FRSA), 49 U.S.C. § 20101 et. seq., and the extent to which

relevant regulations adopted pursuant to it address negligent track inspection. 

The preemptive effect of the FRSA is specified in 49 U.S.C. § 201061

:

Appellate Case: 05-1947 Page: 18 Date Filed: 05/16/2006 Entry ID: 2045151
(8th Cir. 1999).

-19-

Laws, regulations, and orders related to railroad safety and laws,

regulations, and orders related to railroad security shall be nationally

uniform to the extent practicable. A State may adopt or continue in force

a law, regulation, or order related to railroad safety or security until the

Secretary of Transportation (with respect to railroad safety matters), or

the Secretary of Homeland Security (with respect to railroad security

matters), prescribes a regulation or issues an order covering the subject

matter of the State requirement. A State may adopt or continue in force

an additional or more stringent law, regulation, or order related to

railroad safety or security when the law, regulation, or order--

(1) is necessary to eliminate or reduce an essentially local safety or

security hazard;

(2) is not incompatible with a law, regulation, or order of the United

States Government; and

(3) does not unreasonably burden interstate commerce.

On the one hand, Congress created the FRSA to ensure railroad safety would

be “nationally uniform to the extent practicable” and “‘[t]hese statutory provisions

evince . . . a ‘total preemptive intent.’’” Peters, 80 F.3d at 262 (quoting Nat’l Ass’n

of Regulatory Util. Comm’rs v. Coleman, 542 F.2d 11, 13 (3d Cir. 1976)). On the

other hand, the preemption provision is “‘employed within a provision that displays

considerable solicitude for state law in that its express pre-emption clause is both

prefaced and succeeded by express savings clauses.’” Chapman v. LabOne, 390 F.3d

620, 626-27 (8th Cir. 2004) (quoting CSX Transp. v. Easterwood, 507 U.S. 658, 665

(1993)).

This circuit has addressed complete preemption in the context of the FRSA on

two occasions: Chapman and Peters. In Peters we found complete preemption:

“Congress has expressly preempted state laws affecting railroad safety where the

Secretary of Transportation has promulgated regulations,” as confirmed by “[t]he

FRSA regulations explicitly set[ting] out a comprehensive administrative adjudication

system for handling certification disputes,” which “directly apply to Peters’ [state law]

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2

The administrative adjudication is described as:

Pursuant to § 434, the Secretary of Transportation issued

preemptive regulations concerning engineer certification. Included in

these regulations is a specific, detailed scheme setting out dispute

resolution procedures. The regulations establish a review board to

consider petitions challenging a railroad’s denial of certification or

recertification, or revocation of certification. Any person denied

certification can petition the Locomotive Engineer Review Board

(Board) to determine whether the denial was improper. Any party

adversely affected by the Board’s decision has a right of appeal. This

“comprehensive remedial scheme . . . serves to confirm [the FRSA’s]

preemptive scope.” 

Peters, 80 F.3d at 261 (quoting Rayner v. Smirl, 873 F.2d 60, 65 (4th Cir. 1989))

(citations omitted).

3

The anti-waiver provision reads: 

An employee required to participate in body fluid testing . . . shall . . .

evidence consent to taking of samples . . . . The employee is not required

to execute any document or clause waiving rights that the employee

would otherwise have against the employer, and any such waiver is void.

The employee may not be required to waive liability with respect to

negligence on the part of any person participating in the collection,

handling, or analysis of the specimen or to indemnify any person for the

negligence of others. 

Department of Transportation Alcohol/Drug Regulations, 54 Fed. Reg. 53,261 (Dec.

27, 1989); see also 49 C.F.R. 219.11(d) (1989).

-20-

conversion claim.”2

 390 F.3d at 262. Thus, we held, “[a]ny issue raised in this area

is a federal issue justifying removal.” Id. In Chapman, however, we found no

preemption as to common-law claims arising from alleged deficient performance in

the drug testing process because “the applicable statute and regulations concerning

drug testing do not establish an intent to preempt the substantive common law at

issue,” where the FRA’s drug testing regulations included an anti-waiver provision.3

Appellate Case: 05-1947 Page: 20 Date Filed: 05/16/2006 Entry ID: 2045151
4

We also noted the FRSA does not “provide[] a private right of action for a

person aggrieved by negligence in the analysis of a drug test, and the absence of an

alternative cause of action militates against a finding of complete preemption.” 390

F.3d at 629. However, our statement was dicta in light of our holding earlier in the

opinion there was no complete preemption because not even regular preemption lay.

Id. at 629. Compare Gaming Corp., 88 F.3d at 547, which stated:

The issue of whether complete preemption exists is separate from the

issue of whether a private remedy is created under a federal statute.

Caterpillar Inc. v. Williams, 482 U.S. 386, 391 n.4, 96 L. Ed. 2d 318,

107 S. Ct. 2425 (1987). Complete preemption can sometimes lead to

dismissal of all claims in a case. Although courts may be reluctant to

conclude that Congress intended plaintiffs to be left without recourse,

see M. Nahas & Co., Inc. v. First National Bank of Hot Springs, 930

F.2d 608, 612 (8th Cir. 1991), the intent of Congress is what controls.

Pilot Life Insurance Co. v. Dedeaux, 481 U.S. 41, 45, 95 L. Ed. 2d 39,

107 S. Ct. 1549 (1987) (citations omitted).

-21-

390 F.3d at 628-29. Because we found no preemption, we reasoned there was thus no

complete preemption. Id. at 629.4

 We distinguished Peters by noting: “[u]nlike the

drug testing regulations, the rules at issue in Peters did not contain a provision that

could be construed as a savings clause through which the Secretary preserved state

common-law claims,” and in Peters “the comprehensive administrative adjudication

system for handling certification disputes . . . influenced our court’s complete

preemption analysis.” Id. at 628, 630. 

Given that the FRSA preemption clauses are substantively identical in Peters

and Chapman, and our finding complete preemption in the former but not the latter

by distinguishing the regulations at issue in the cases, complete preemption turns first

on the Secretary of Transportation’s regulations “covering the subject matter of the

State Requirement” and then any given regulation’s solicitude for state law. See 49

U.S.C. § 20106. Again, for example, the drug-testing regulations at issue in Chapman

contained an anti-waiver provision which displayed a “solicitude for state common

law distinguish[ing it] . . . from the [regulations establishing a] comprehensive

Appellate Case: 05-1947 Page: 21 Date Filed: 05/16/2006 Entry ID: 2045151
-22-

administrative adjudication system for handling certification disputes that influenced

our court’s complete preemption analysis in Peters.” 390 F.3d at 630. 

In this case, the Lundeens bring claims based in part on negligent inspection of

railroad track. FRSA track inspection regulations lack the solicitude for state law

demonstrated by the anti-waiver clause in Chapman. This situation is more akin to

our discussion in In re Derailment Cases, 416 F.3d 787 (8th Cir. 2005), involving

inspection of railroad freight cars. We found preemption where:

The FRA has adopted regulations that require inspections of freight cars

at each location where they are placed in a train. Railroads must

designate inspectors who “have demonstrated to the railroad a

knowledge and ability to inspect railroad freight cars for compliance

with the [FRA regulations].” The FRA’s regulations specify that a

railroad may not place or continue in service a car that, inter alia, has a

defective coupler or a defective draft key retainer assembly.

The regulations also establish a “national railroad safety program”

intended “to promote safety in all areas of railroad operations in order to

reduce deaths, injuries and damage to property resulting from railroad

accidents.” Federal and state inspectors “determine the extent to which

the railroads, shippers, and manufacturers have fulfilled their obligations

with respect to inspection, maintenance, training, and supervision.”

Inspectors visit rail yards to ensure compliance with the regulations and

railroads face civil penalties for violations. . . . 

. . . It is clear that the FRA’s regulations are intended to prevent

negligent inspection by setting forth minimum qualifications for

inspectors, specifying certain aspects of freight cars that must be

inspected, providing agency monitoring of the inspectors, and

establishing a civil enforcement regime. These intentions are buttressed

by the FRA’s inspection manual for federal and state inspectors.

Further, there is no indication that the FRA meant to leave open a state

tort cause of action to deter negligent inspection. . . . Accordingly, we

Appellate Case: 05-1947 Page: 22 Date Filed: 05/16/2006 Entry ID: 2045151
-23-

conclude that Plaintiffs’ negligent inspection claims are preempted by

the FRA’s regulations.

In re Derailment Cases, 416 F.3d at 793-794 (citations and footnotes omitted). We

distinguished Chapman by noting the regulations there “specifically contemplate[d]

the existence of a common-law cause of action for negligence.” Id. at 794.

Similarly, federal regulations establish a specific inspection protocol including

how, 49 C.F.R. § 213.233(b), when, §§ 213.233(c) & .237(a)-(c), and by whom,

§§ 212.203, 213.7 & .233(a), track inspections must be conducted; the regulations

establish a national railroad safety program intended to promote safety in all areas of

railroad operations, § 212.101(a); federal and state inspectors determine the extent to

which the railroads, shippers, and manufacturers have fulfilled their obligations with

respect to, among other things, inspection, § 212.101(b)(1); and railroads face civil

penalties for violations, § 213 App. B. It is clear the FRA regulations are intended to

prevent negligent track inspection and there is no indication the FRA meant to leave

open a state law cause of action.

We note the FRSA’s preemption clause is employed within a provision that

displays considerable solicitude for state law in that its express preemption clause is

both prefaced and succeeded by express savings clauses, and we also note In re

Derailment was a conflict rather than complete preemption case. Nonetheless, where

we find the Lundeens’ negligent inspection claims preempted following the logic in

In Re Derailment and where it is both clear the regulations at issue are intended to

prevent negligent track inspection nationally and contain no savings clause (so there

is thus no indication the FRA meant to leave open a state law cause of action), absent

en banc review we are bound by our decision in Peters to find complete, jurisdictional,

preemption. The district court therefore has subject-matter jurisdiction in the instant

case and improperly remanded the case to state court.

Appellate Case: 05-1947 Page: 23 Date Filed: 05/16/2006 Entry ID: 2045151
-24-

III

Based on the foregoing, this case is reversed and remanded for proceedings

consistent with this opinion.

______________________________

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