Court Opinion

ID: 9447846
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-03 22:45:49.742396+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:31:12.693954
License: Public Domain

O’SULLIVAN, Circuit Judge
(dissenting).
I regret my inability to concur in the opinion of my learned brothers. I am unable to find the fact, or facts, from which a jury could infer that the plaintiff was an “obstruction which appeared upon the road” within the meaning of Section 65-1208(4), Tennessee Code, Annotated.
Under Tennessee law, the burden was upon plaintiff to show that he, in fact, had become an obstruction ahead of the train at a time when his presence as such was, or could have been, observed by the crew of the train. Cincinnati, N. O. & T. P. R. R. Co. v. Brock, 132 Tenn. 477, 178 S.W. 1115; Meador v. Nashville, C. & St. L. R. Co., 177 Tenn. 273, 148 S.W.2d 371.
To constitute an “obstruction which appears upon the road,” such obstruction must be an object appearing on the track in front of a moving train, or so near to the track that the object will be struck by the moving train. Gaines v. Tenn. Central R. Co., 1940, 175 Tenn. 389, 135 S.W.2d 441; Louisville & N. R. Co. v. Parmer, 6 Cir., 1955, 220 F.2d 90. Such obstruction must be “within the sweep of the train.” Preslar v. Mobile & O. R. Co., 1916, 135 Tenn. 42, 185 S.W. 67.
It was undisputed that between the time that the plaintiff boy entered the path along the railroad tracks and the time he was struck, all parts of the train except the caboose had passed him. It is clear, therefore, that the plaintiff was not “within the sweep of the train” insofar as the engine and some dozen or more of the box cars were concerned. Southern Ry. Co. v. Matthews, 6 Cir., 1928, 29 F.2d 52, 57. Defendant introduced evidence which showed that although the caboose, including the step which struck the plaintiff, was wider than the engine, there were on this train box cars which were wider than the caboose.
Plaintiff had the burden in the first instance of showing that he was, at a time when he would have been within the view of the train crew, “within the sweep of the train.” Cincinnati, N. O. & T. P. R. R. Co. v. Brock, supra; Meador v. Nashville, C. & St. L. R. Co., supra. Although he testified that while the train was approaching him he was on the path on the east side of the track, he did not attempt to say how far to the east of the track he actually was. In respectful disagreement with my brothers, I am of the opinion that there is nothing in the record from which it could justifiably be inferred that his presence anywhere on the path put him within the sweep of passing trains. A contrary conclusion follows from the undisputed fact that the plaintiff, while walking on this path, had, except for the caboose, been passed by the entire train, which included box cars wider than the caboose. Photographs of the area contained' no proof that the undergrowth which bordered the path confined the boy, while on it, to an area which would place him within “the sweep of the train.” It is, indeed, unlikely that persons whose use of the area created the path would be walking so close to the tracks as to be struck by a passing train. The only evidence which established plaintiff’s position on the path with relation to the ties or rails came from his marking on an exhibit his location at the time he commenced his journey northward on the path. He placed a circular mark to identify such location. This placed him east of the east rail of the abandoned spur track. At that point, he was some eight feet to the east of the nearest rail of the track upon which the train was approaching. There, he was clearly outside of “the sweep of the train” and there is no evidence as to how far he had gone on his journey northward at the moment the train passed him. Accordingly, there is nothing in this record from which a finding could be made that plaintiff was, in fact, within the sweep of this train at some time when he was within the view of the train crew. It was plaintiff’s burden to offer some evidence *840from which such finding could be made. 'The fact' that at the time he was struck he was within the sweep of the train is no evidence that he was there at such time as to require the crew of the train to take the steps prescribed by the Tennessee Statutory Precautions Act. Southern Ry. Co. v. Matthews, 6 Cir., 1928, 29 F.2d 52. Members of the train crew testified that they never did see the plaintiff. This was not merely negative evidence, but was to the effect that had plaintiff been within view, they would have seen him.
I am of the opinion that a verdict should have been directed for defendant, and would reverse the judgment with direction to enter judgment for defendant.