1994 Decisions

Opinions of the United

States Court of Appeals

for the Third Circuit

10-17-1994

IN RE: Paoli Railroad Yard PCB Litigation

Precedential or Non-Precedential:

Docket 92-1995-1997, 92-1999-2010, 92-2014 & 92-2016

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Recommended Citation

"IN RE: Paoli Railroad Yard PCB Litigation" (1994). 1994 Decisions. Paper 158.

http://digitalcommons.law.villanova.edu/thirdcircuit_1994/158
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS 

FOR THE THIRD CIRCUIT 

____________ 

NO. 92-1995 

____________ 

IN RE: PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION 

MABEL BROWN, Individually and on 

behalf of all others similarly situated 

 v. 

SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY ("SEPTA"); 

NATIONAL RAILROAD PASSENGER CORPORATION ("AMTRAK"); AND 

CONSOLIDATED RAIL CORPORATION ("CONRAIL") 

 v. 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; 

ROY F. WESTON, INC.; and 

OH MATERIALS COMPANY; and 

GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY; and 

THE BUDD COMPANY; and 

WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CORPORATION; 

MONSANTO CO.; 

PENN CENTRAL CORPORATION 

 Mabel Brown, Appellant

(D.C. Civ. No. 86-02229) 

____________ 

NO. 92-1996 

____________ 

IN RE: PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION 

GEORGE ALBERT BURRELL and 

PRISCILLA ETHERIDGE BURRELL, 

in their own right, and GEORGE ALBERT BURRELL and 

PRISCILLA ETHERIDGE BURRELL, as parents and natural 

guardian of AMBER SHARDAI BURRELL, a minor, and 

GEORGE ALBERT BURRELL, as parent and natural 

guardian of ANDRE WALKER, a minor, and 

PRISCILLA ETHERIDGE BURRELL, as parent and 
natural guardian of BOBBY GEORGE ALBERT 

CHRISTIAN BURRELL, a minor 

 v. 

SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY ("SEPTA"); and 

NATIONAL RAILROAD PASSENGER CORPORATION ("AMTRAK"); 

and CONSOLIDATED RAIL CORPORATION ("CONRAIL") 

 v. 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; 

MONSANTO COMPANY; 

GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY; 

THE BUDD COMPANY; 

WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CORPORATION 

 v. 

PENN CENTRAL CORPORATION 

 George Burrell, Priscilla Burrell, Amber

 Burrell and Monica Hilton, Appellants

(D.C. Civ. No. 86-02235) 

____________ 

NO. 92-1997 

____________ 

IN RE: PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION 

WALLACE DARRYL CUMMINS 

 v. 

SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY 

("SEPTA"); AND 

NATIONAL RAILROAD PASSENGER CORPORATION ("AMTRAK"); AND 

CONSOLIDATED RAIL CORPORATION, ("CONRAIL") 

 v. 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; and 

GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY; 

THE BUDD COMPANY; 

WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CORPORATION; 
MONSANTO COMPANY 

 Wallace D. Cummins, Appellant

(D.C. Civ. No. 86-02669) 

____________ 

NO. 92-1999 

____________ 

IN RE: PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION 

K. LOUISE JONES, ADMINISTRATRIX OF THE ESTATE 

OF HARVEY N. JONES, JR., DECEASED AND K. LOUISE 

JONES AS PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE OF HARVEY N. JONES, 

JR., AND K. LOUISE JONES IN HER OWN RIGHT 

 v. 

SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY 

("SEPTA"); 

NATIONAL RAILROAD PASSENGER CORPORATION ("AMTRAK"); 

CONSOLIDATED RAIL CORPORATION, ("CONRAIL") 

 v. 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; 

CITY OF PHILADELPHIA; 

MONSANTO COMPANY; 

GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY; 

THE BUDD COMPANY; AND 

WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CORPORATION 

 K. Louise Jones and Harvey Jones, Appellants

(D.C. Civ. No. 86-05277) 

___________ 

NO. 92-2000 

___________ 

IN RE: PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION 

JAMES LAMENT, individually and on behalf 
of all others similarly situated 

 v. 

SEPTA; AMTRAK and CONRAIL; 

 v. 

PENN CENTRAL CORPORATION; 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; 

CITY OF PHILADELPHIA; 

MONSANTO CO.; 

GENERAL ELECTRIC CO; 

BUDD CO., AND 

WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CORPORATION 

 James Lament, Appellant

(D.C. Civ. No. 86-05886) 

___________ 

NO. 92-2001 

___________ 

IN RE: PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION 

CHRISTOPHER S. BROWN; 

JACQUELINE M. BROWN, h/w 

 v. 

MONSANTO COMPANY; 

SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY ("SEPTA"); 

NATIONAL RAILROAD PASSENGER CORPORATION; 

CONSOLIDATED RAIL CORPORATION ("CONRAIL") 

 v. 

PENN CENTRAL CORPORATION; 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; 

CITY OF PHILADELPHIA; 

GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY; 

THE BUDD COMPANY; 

WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CORPORATION 

 Christopher Brown and Jacqueline Michelle Brown,
 Appellants

(D.C. Civ. No. 86-07414) 

___________ 

NO. 92-2002 

___________ 

IN RE: PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION 

CATHLENE BROWN, 

 Appellant

 v. 

MONSANTO COMPANY; 

SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY ("SEPTA"); 

NATIONAL RAILROAD PASSENGER CORPORATION ("AMTRAK"); 

CONSOLIDATED RAIL CORPORATION ("CONRAIL") 

 v. 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; 

CITY OF PHILADELPHIA; 

GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY; 

THE BUDD COMPANY; 

WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CORPORATION 

 v. 

PENN CENTRAL CORPORATION 

(D.C. Civ. No. 92-2002) 

___________ 

NO. 92-2003 

___________ 

IN RE: PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION 
CRAIG A. BROWN AND 

CATHERINE D. BROWN h/w 

 v. 

MONSANTO COMPANY; 

SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY ("SEPTA"); 

NATIONAL RAILROAD PASSENGER CORPORATION ("AMTRAK"); and 

CONSOLIDATED RAIL CORPORATION ("CONRAIL") 

 v. 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; 

PENN CENTRAL CORPORATION; AND 

CITY OF PHILADELPHIA; 

GENERAL ELECTRIC CO.; 

THE BUDD CO.; AND 

WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CORP. 

 Craig Brown, Appellant

(D.C. Civ. No. 86-07416) 

___________ 

NO. 92-2004 

___________ 

IN RE: PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION 

MARGHERITA BARBETTA, 

 Appellant

 v. 

MONSANTO COMPANY; 

SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY ("SEPTA"); 

NATIONAL RAILROAD PASSENGER CORPORATION ("AMTRAK"); and 

CONSOLIDATED RAIL CORPORATION ("CONRAIL") 

 v. 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; and 

CITY OF PHILADELPHIA; 

THE GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY; AND 

THE BUDD COMPANY; AND 

WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CORPORATION 
 v. 

PENN CENTRAL CORPORATION 

(D.C. Civ. No. 86-07417) 

___________ 

NO. 92-2005 

___________ 

IN RE: PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION 

MARY RETTA JOHNSON, 

 Appellant

 v. 

MONSANTO COMPANY; 

SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY ("SEPTA"); 

NATIONAL RAILROAD PASSENGER CORPORATION ("AMTRAK"); and 

CONSOLIDATED RAIL CORPORATION ("CONRAIL") 

 v. 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; AND 

THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA; and 

GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY; 

THE BUDD COMPANY; and 

WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CORPORATION; and 

PENN CENTRAL CORP. 

(D.C. Civ. No. 86-07418) 

___________ 

NO. 92-2006 

___________ 

IN RE: PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION 

CELESTE BROWN, 

 Appellant

 v. 
MONSANTO COMPANY; 

SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY ("SEPTA"); 

NATIONAL RAILROAD PASSENGER CORPORATION ("AMTRAK"); and 

CONSOLIDATED RAIL CORPORATION ("CONRAIL") 

 v. 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; 

CITY OF PHILADELPHIA; and 

GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY; 

THE BUDD COMPANY; 

WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CORPORATION 

(D.C. Civ. No. 86-07419) 

___________ 

NO. 92-2007 

___________ 

IN RE: PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION 

CLEMMON L. BROWN 

 v. 

MONSANTO COMPANY; 

SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY ("SEPTA"); 

NATIONAL RAILROAD PASSENGER CORPORATION ("AMTRAK"); and 

CONSOLIDATED RAIL CORPORATION ("CONRAIL") 

 v. 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; 

CITY OF PHILADELPHIA; AND 

GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY; 

THE BUDD COMPANY; AND 

WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CORPORATION; AND 

PENN CENTRAL CORPORATION 

 Clemmon Brown, Appellant

(D.C. Civ. No. 86-07420) 
___________ 

NO. 92-2008 

___________ 

IN RE: PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION 

CLOYD H. BROWN 

 v. 

MONSANTO COMPANY; 

SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY ("SEPTA"); 

NATIONAL RAILROAD PASSENGER CORPORATION ("AMTRAK"); and 

CONSOLIDATED RAIL CORPORATION ("CONRAIL") 

 v. 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; 

CITY OF PHILADELPHIA; 

GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY; 

THE BUDD COMPANY; 

WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CORPORATION 

PENN CENTRAL CORPORATION 

Cloyd Brown, Appellant

(D.C. Civ. No. 86-07421) 

___________ 

NO. 92-2009 

___________ 

IN RE: PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION 

CURTIS BROWN, 

 Appellant

 v. 

MONSANTO COMPANY; 

SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY ("SEPTA"); 

NATIONAL RAILROAD PASSENGER CORPORATION ("AMTRAK"); and 

CONSOLIDATED RAIL CORPORATION ("CONRAIL") 

 v. 
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; 

CITY OF PHILADELPHIA 

 v. 

GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY; and 

THE BUDD COMPANY; and 

WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC COMPANY; 

PENN CENTRAL CORP. 

(D.C. Civ. No. 86-07422) 

___________ 

NO. 92-2010 

___________ 

IN RE: PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION 

JOHN INGRAM, SR., and 

PATRICIA INGRAM, in their own right and as 

parents and natural guardians of JOHN INGRAM, JR.; and 

APRIL INGRAM in her own right 

 v. 

SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY ("SEPTA"); 

NATIONAL RAILROAD PASSENGER CORPORATION ("AMTRAK"); and 

CONSOLIDATED RAIL CORPORATION ("CONRAIL"); and 

MONSANTO COMPANY ("MONSANTO"); and 

GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY ("GE"); and 

CITY OF PHILADELPHIA ("PHILADELPHIA") 

 v. 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; 

THE BUDD COMPANY; 

WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CORPORATION; 

PENN CENTRAL CORPORATION 

John Ingram, Sr. (and as representative of decedent,

Patricia Ingram), John Ingram, Jr., Patricia Ingram and

April Ingram Robinson-Ray, Appellants

(D.C. Civ. No. 86-07561) 

___________ 
NO. 92-2011 

___________ 

IN RE: PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION 

MARY ALICE KNIGHT, 

 Appellant

 v. 

SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY ("SEPTA"); 

NATIONAL RAILROAD PASSENGER CORPORATION ("AMTRAK"); and 

CONSOLIDATED RAIL CORPORATION ("CONRAIL"); and 

MONSANTO COMPANY ("MONSANTO"); and 

GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY ("GE"); and 

CITY OF PHILADELPHIA ("PHILADELPHIA") 

 v. 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; 

THE BUDD COMPANY; 

WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CORPORATION; 

PENN CENTRAL CORPORATION 

(D.C. Civ. No. 87-00712) 

___________ 

NO. 92-2014 

___________ 

IN RE: PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION 

WILLIAM BUTLER; THERESA BUTLER; 

MARVIN L. SIMPSON; ALLEN K. SIMPSON; 

KAREN R. SIMPSON; DONALD E. SIMPSON; and 

BRYAN M. JACKSON 

 v. 

SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY ("SEPTA"); 

NATIONAL RAILROAD PASSENGER CORPORATION ("AMTRAK"); and 

CONSOLIDATED RAIL CORPORATION ("CONRAIL") 

 v. 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; 

CITY OF PHILADELPHIA; 

MONSANTO COMPANY; 

GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY; 
THE BUDD COMPANY; 

WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CORPORATION; 

PENN CENTRAL CORPORATION 

William Butler, Theresa Butler, Bryan Jackson,

Allen Simpson, Donald Simpson, Karen Simpson

and Marvin Simpson, Appellants

(D.C. Civ. No. 87-02874) 

___________ 

NO. 92-2016 

___________ 

IN RE: PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION 

MATTHEW CUNNINGHAM; AND 

BESSIE CUNNINGHAM, 

 Appellants

 v. 

MONSANTO COMPANY; and 

SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY ("SEPTA"); and 

NATIONAL RAILROAD PASSENGER CORPORATION ("AMTRAK"); and 

CONSOLIDATED RAIL CORPORATION ("CONRAIL") 

 v. 

GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY; 

THE BUDD COMPANY; 

WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CORPORATION; 

PENN CENTRAL CORPORATION, 

Third-Party Defendants 

_________________________________ 

On Appeal From the United States District Court 

For the Eastern District of Pennsylvania 

_________________________________ 

Argued: October 26, 1993 

Before: BECKER, ROTH, and LEWIS, Circuit Judges. 

(Filed ) 
 ARNOLD E. COHEN 

 Klehr, Harrison, Harvey, 

 Branzburg, Ellers & Weir 

 1401 Walnut Street, 8th Fl. 

 Philadelphia, PA 19102 

 and 

 JOSEPH C. KOHN 

 MYLES H. MALMAN 

 MARTIN J. D'URSO (ARGUED) 

 Kohn, Nast & Graf 

 2400 One Reading Center 

 1101 Market Street 

 Philadelphia, PA 19107 

Attorneys for Appellants

Mabel Brown (1995); George Burrell, Priscilla Burrell,

Amber Burrell, and Monica Hilton (1996); Wallace D.

Cummins (1997); K. Louise Jones and Estate of Harvey

Jones (1999); James Lament (2000); John Ingram, Sr., 

Patricia Ingram, April Ingram Robinson and John 

Ingram, Jr. (2010); Mary Knight (2011); William Butler, 

Theresa Butler, Marvin Simpson, Alan Simpson, Karen

Simpson, Donald Simpson and Brian Jackson (2014);

Bessie Cunningham and Matthew Cunningham (2016)

 D. BRUCE HANES (ARGUED) 

 D. Bruce Hanes and 

 Associates, P.C. 

 1700 Market Street 

 Suite 3131 

 Philadelphia, PA 19103 

Attorney for Appellants

Christopher Brown, Jacqueline M. Brown (2001);

Cathlene Brown (2002); Craig Brown (2003);

Margherita Barbetta (2004); Mary Retta Johnson (2005);

Celeste Brown (2006); Clemmon Brown (2007);

Cloyd Brown (2008) and Curtis Brown (2009)

 JOHN G. KESTER (ARGUED) 

 JOHN W. VARDAMAN, JR. 

 SARAH H. DUGGIN 

 PHILIP A. SECHLER 
 Williams & Connolly 

 725 12th Street, NW 

 Washington, DC 20005 

 HARRY A. SHORT, JR. 

 STEPHEN M. McMANUS 

 Liebert, Short & Hirschland 

 1901 Market Street 

 Philadelphia, PA 19103 

Attorneys for Appellee

General Electric Company

 ROGER F. COX 

 JEROME R. RICHTER 

 JOHN J. MONSEES 

 Blank, Rome, Comisky & 

 McCauley 

 1200 Four Penn Center Plaza 

 Philadelphia, PA 19103 

Attorneys for Appellees

Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation

Authority and The Penn Central Corporation

 MICHAEL M. MALIN 

 THOMAS M. GOUTMAN 

 KATHY A. O'NEILL 

 ROBERT ROLAND, II 

 White and Williams 

 One Liberty Place 

 1650 Market Street 

 Philadelphia, PA 19103 

Attorneys for Appellee

Monsanto Company

 RICHARD A. KRAEMER 

 SUZANNE H. GROSS 

 Marshall, Dennehey, Warner, 

 Coleman and Goggin 

 1845 Walnut Street 

 Philadelphia, PA 19103 
Attorneys for Appellee

National Railroad Passenger Corporation

 ROBERT A. SUTTON 

 Assistant City Solicitor 

 City of Philadelphia Law 

 Department 

 1600 Arch Street 

 Philadelphia, PA 19103 

 Attorney for Appellee

 The City of Philadelphia

 G. DANIEL BRUCH, JR. 

 Schwartz, Campbell & 

 Detweiller 

 1700 Land Title Building 

 100 South Broad Street 

 Philadelphia, PA 19110 

 DAVID C. LANDIN 

 McGuire, Woods, Battle & 

 Boothe 

 901 East Cary Street 

 One James Center 

 Richmond, VA 23219 

 Attorneys for Appellee

 Westinghouse Electric Corporation

 LAURA A. FOGGAN 

 STEPHEN D. GOLDMAN 

 Wiley, Rein & Fielding 

 1776 K Street, NW 

 Washington, DC 20006 

 Attorneys for Amicus Curiae Appellee

 American Insurance Association
 R. THOMAS McLAUGHLIN 

 Kelly, Harrington, 

 McLaughlin & Foster 

 1700 Atlantic Building 

 160 South Broad Street 

 Philadelphia, PA 19102 

 Attorneys for Appellee

 The Budd Company 

 ________________________________ 

 ORDER AMENDING OPINION

 ________________________________ 

 The opinion in the above-captioned case filed August 

31, 1994, is amended as follows: 

 1) On page 58, lines 10 and 11, the words 

"promulgated under the Rules Enabling Act" are deleted from that 

sentence; 

 2) On page 59, second paragraph, lines 3 and 4, the 

phrase "promulgated under the Rules Enabling Act, 28 U.S.C. § 

2072," is deleted from that sentence; and 

 3) On the last line of text on page 144, substitute 

the name "Patricia" for "Priscilla". 

 BY THE COURT, 

 

 /s/ Edward R. Becker

 Circuit Judge 

DATED: October 17, l994