What Happened
What Happened
On June 26, 2025, about 5:00 p.m. local time, an R.J. Corman Railway Group conductor was seriously injured during a railcar switching operation at Guthrie Yard in Guthrie, Kentucky. The conductor was working with an engineer to separate a damaged railcar from a block of 13 railcars and move it onto a siding track east of the main track. During the switching operation, the conductor suffered a serious injury to his foot when he placed it between equipment to push the knuckle of a coupler into alignment.
What We Found
What We Found
We determined that the probable cause of the June 26, 2025, R.J. Corman employee injury at Guthrie Yard was the conductor circumventing established safety rules during coupling operations, resulting in the employee’s foot being crushed between two railcars. Contributing to the incident was the extreme heat, which influenced the conductor’s decision to expedite the work.
What We Recommended
To prevent similar accidents in the future, the railroad industry must increase vigilance through enhanced supervision and other safety protocols such as increased hydration and rest during extreme weather conditions. It is critical that employees understand the importance of rules adherence and that supervisors verify employees are following established safe work protocols.
The risk associated with rail employees working between equipment was also highlighted in recent NTSB investigations of other accidents, including a Hulcher Services Inc. assistant division manager trainee who sustained serious injuries during a rerailing operation at the Port of Stockton in Stockton, California, and the death of an American Auto Works Employee in Richmond, California, while attempting to couple railcars.
To call attention to risks posed when railroad employees foul the track near unsecured equipment, in November 2025, NTSB published a safety alert discussing the importance of following operating rules related to moving between equipment.
