Railroad Negligent In Flood, Class-Action Suit Alleges; Case Could Involve Hundreds Of Millions Of Dollars

Local residents who suffered property loss during the 2016 flood say they continue to incur damages. And they’re blaming what they call the railroad’s faulty culverts. A federal lawsuit, filed in April, could involve hundreds of millions of dollars and nearly 50 counties. It alleges Union Pacific Railroad failed for years to maintain drainage systems and culverts. Resulting flooding, the suit states, caused enormous property damage, and loss. The railroad, in effect, took the plaintiffs’ property, the suit alleges.