Premises Description

The Pennsylvania Railroad (“PRR” — founded 1846, headquartered Philadelphia PA; merged with New York Central to form Penn Central in 1968; reorganized as Conrail in 1976; divided between CSX and Norfolk Southern in 1999) was for most of its history the largest railroad and largest publicly-traded corporation in the United States. PRR’s “Standard Railroad of the World” branding reflected its dominance of the U.S. Northeast and Midwest rail network through the 19th and early 20th centuries.

PRR / Penn Central / Conrail operated some of the most historically significant U.S. railroad shop complexes through the asbestos era:

  • Altoona PA — the PRR’s “Altoona Works”, historically the largest railroad shop complex in the world (Juniata Shops + Altoona Car Shops)
  • Sunnyside Yard, Queens NY — major passenger-locomotive servicing
  • Conway PA — major freight-yard locomotive servicing
  • Englewood IL and Pittsburgh PA — additional shop facilities
  • Hundreds of intermediate roundhouses and car-repair facilities across the system

Plaintiffs alleged in publicly filed U.S. asbestos personal-injury and wrongful-death litigation under the Federal Employers’ Liability Act (FELA) that the Pennsylvania Railroad, Penn Central, and Conrail exposed the railroad workforce to asbestos through brake-shoe dust, locomotive insulation, shop-facility asbestos, and asbestos-laden freight cars.

The Altoona Works in particular — the largest concentration of railroad mechanical workers in U.S. history — is among the most heavily-litigated railroad FELA asbestos exposure sites.

PRR / Penn Central / Conrail (and successor liability carried by CSX and Norfolk Southern after the 1999 Conrail division) has been named as a Premises Defendant in publicly filed U.S. asbestos personal-injury and wrongful-death litigation under FELA.

Workers Exposed

  • Railroad car repairmen at Altoona, Conway, Sunnyside, Pittsburgh, and Englewood
  • Boilermakers, pipefitters, and machinists at Juniata Shops Altoona
  • Locomotive engineers and firemen on PRR/PC/Conrail trains
  • Electrical-shop workers at PRR electrified-territory facilities
  • Yard switchmen, conductors, and brakemen across the Northeast Corridor

If You Worked for PRR / Penn Central / Conrail

If you worked for the Pennsylvania Railroad, Penn Central Transportation Company, or Conrail during the asbestos era — including at the Altoona Works, Juniata Shops, Sunnyside Yard, Conway, or any other facility — and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, or another asbestos-related illness, you may have legal rights under FELA.

Free, confidential case evaluation: Speak with O’Brien Law Firm — (314) 936-2956