Find a train accident lawyer in Tucson: freight, Amtrak or the Sun Link streetcar
A train injury in Tucson can mean three different defendants. Union Pacific and Amtrak are rail companies. The Sun Link streetcar sits under the City's Transit Services Division, so a claim must reach the City Clerk within 180 days. Against a railroad, you generally have 2 years to sue.
Last checked November 9, 2026 · Official sources (22)
Which trains run through Tucson, and who runs them?
Freight runs on Union Pacific track. Public filings with the state show Union Pacific crossings in Tucson at Ajo Way and Bilby Road, and grade-separated crossings at South Palo Verde Road and Al Vernon Way. Amtrak's station is at 400 North Toole Avenue.
The Sun Link streetcar is different. It carried 1,671,376 riders in fiscal 2024 and sits under the City of Tucson Transit Services Division. Speedway Boulevard also passes under a rail line east of I-10.
Who do you claim against after a train injury in Tucson?
| Type of train | Who answers | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Union Pacific freight | The railroad, a private company | Generally 2 years to sue |
| Amtrak | Amtrak. Federal rules and ticket terms may apply, so ask a lawyer early | Generally 2 years to sue |
| Sun Link streetcar | The City of Tucson Transit Services Division | Claim to the City Clerk in 180 days, then sue within 1 year of a denial |
| Railroad employee | The railroad, under the federal employee rail law | 3 years |
For a City claim, email the City Clerk. If the City does not answer in 60 days, it counts as denied.
Who is in charge of railroad crossings in Tucson?
The Arizona Corporation Commission. Its power covers the manner of crossings where rail lines cross public roads or streets of a town or city. Its public docket shows recent Tucson cases, including Union Pacific's January 2024 request at Ajo Way and the City's August 2025 request on Bilby Road.
Those files can show what warnings a crossing had and who agreed to what. Federal law blocks some claims about train speed or federally paid warning devices, but Congress kept others alive. A lawyer has to sort that out for your crossing.
What should you do after a train or streetcar crash in Tucson?
- Call 911 and get care. Banner - University Medical Center Tucson is a state-designated Level I trauma center.
- Write down the crossing number on the blue sign. State filings list crossings that way, such as USDOT 742115T for Bilby Road.
- For the streetcar, note the car number, the stop and the time. Sun Link tells riders to wait for the streetcar to leave before crossing the street.
- Ask a lawyer to send a written request to keep recorder data, video and maintenance records. Recorder data does not have to be kept past 1 year.
- Send a notice of claim to the City Clerk within 180 days if the City was involved.
What if you were on or near the tracks in Tucson?
Tracks are private property, and it is illegal to be on them outside a designated crossing. In Arizona a landowner owes a trespasser a narrower duty, to avoid intentional, wilful or wanton injury.
That does not mean there is never a claim. A lawyer can look at where you were, any crossing nearby and how the crew acted. Nationwide, trespassing is a leading cause of rail deaths, with more than 500 each year. If you lost someone, take the time you need before making decisions.
Questions
Can I sue Union Pacific if I was hit at a Tucson crossing?
Possibly. You generally have 2 years. Some claims about warning devices or speed can be blocked by federal law, but not all.
I fell on the Sun Link streetcar. Is that a City claim?
Yes. Sun Link falls under the City's Transit Services Division, so the 180-day claim to the City Clerk applies.
How common are crossing crashes?
Nationally there are more than 2,000 crossing incidents and about 200 deaths a year.
I work for the railroad. Which deadline do I have?
The federal rail employee law gives you 3 years. Report the injury to the company right away.
Train accident in Tucson? See if you are owed money.
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See if I’m owed moneySources (22)
- City of Tucson, File a Notice of Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “Claimants have 180 days from an accident or injury to file a claim against the City.”
- A.R.S. § 12-821.01, checked 2026-11-08. “within one hundred eighty days after the cause of action accrues”
- A.R.S. § 12-542, checked 2026-11-08. “within two years after the cause of action accrues”
- tucsonaz.gov, checked 2026-11-08. “Requests can be made through Customer Service at (520) 792-9222 or by emailing [email protected]”
- Arizona Revised Statutes 40-337, checked 2026-11-09. “The commission shall have the exclusive power to prescribe the character of crossings to be constructed and maintained by railroads where their lines cross public roads or streets of a town or city.”
- 45 U.S.C. 51, checked 2026-11-09. “shall be liable in damages to any person suffering injury while he is employed by such carrier”
- 45 U.S.C. 56, checked 2026-11-09. “No action shall be maintained under this chapter unless commenced within three years from the day the cause of action accrued.”
- 49 CFR 229.135, checked 2026-11-09. “This preservation requirement shall expire one (1) year after the date of the accident”
- Federal Railroad Administration, checked 2026-11-09. “It is illegal to access private railroad property anywhere other than a designated pedestrian or roadway crossing.”
- A.R.S. 12-557, checked 2026-11-09. “does not owe a duty of care to a trespasser except to refrain from causing intentional, wilful or wanton injury”
- Arizona Corporation Commission, eDocket RR-03639A-24-0003, checked 2026-11-09. “to modify its existing At-Grade Crossing at Ajo Way, DOT 741-295P; and add tracks below the grade separated crossings at South Palo Verde Road”
- Arizona Corporation Commission, eDocket RR-03639A-25-0162, checked 2026-11-09. “TO MODIFY AN EXISTING RAILROAD CROSSING TO INSTALL ADA-COMPLIANT SIDEWALKS AND A MEDIAN ISLAND ON BILBY ROAD EAST OF SOUTH NOGALES HIGHWAY, USDOT 742115T”
- Amtrak, Tucson station, checked 2026-11-09. “400 North Toole Avenue Tucson, AZ 85701-1899”
- Sun Tran, Annual Report FY24, checked 2026-11-09. “FY24 1,671,376”
- City of Tucson, Pedestrian Safety Action Plan (2020), checked 2026-11-08. “| Speedway Blvd | Rail undercrossing east of I-10 to N Wilson Ave |”
- A.R.S. § 12-821, checked 2026-11-08. “shall be brought within one year after the cause of action accrues and not afterward”
- beta.tucsonaz.gov, checked 2026-11-08. “It is your sole responsibility to confirm that the Clerk’s office has received your form.”
- 49 U.S.C. 20106, checked 2026-11-09. “Nothing in this section shall be construed to preempt an action under State law seeking damages for personal injury, death, or property damage alleging that a party”
- Arizona DHS, State Designated Trauma Centers, checked 2026-11-08. “1625 N. Campbell Ave, Tucson, AZ 85719 11/11/24 11/11/27”
- Sun Link, How To Ride, checked 2026-11-09. “please wait for it to leave the stop before crossing the street”
- Federal Railroad Administration, checked 2026-11-09. “more than 500 trespass fatalities occur each year”
- Federal Railroad Administration, checked 2026-11-09. “Nationally, more than 2,000 incidents and 200 fatalities at grade crossings occur each year.”