Find a train accident lawyer in Fort Worth: crossings, reports and deadlines
Fort Worth has 204 railroad crossings, more per person than any other large Texas city. A railroad must report a crossing death to the federal government right away. A train injury lawsuit generally must be filed within 2 years. If a public agency's train was involved, notice is due in 6 months.
Last checked November 9, 2026 · Official sources (25)
Why are there so many train crossings in Fort Worth?
The city says it has 204 grade crossings, and more per person than any other large city in Texas. Freight adds to it. BNSF is on the city's list of largest employers, and its intermodal center sits near Alliance Airport.
Statewide numbers are worse. Preliminary 2025 federal numbers put Texas first in the country, with 262 crossing collisions, 28 deaths and 83 injuries.
Some crossings are quiet zones. With the right devices in place, the train horn does not have to sound. That is a fact worth knowing if you say you did not hear a train.
Who has to do what at a Fort Worth rail crossing?
| Who | Duty | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Any driver | Stop 15 to 50 feet from the nearest rail when a signal, gate or train warns of a train | Texas Transportation Code |
| Bus driver carrying passengers for pay | Stop 15 to 50 feet from the rail, then look and listen | Texas Transportation Code |
| Railroad | Put up the required warning sign at a public road crossing | Texas Transportation Code |
| Railroad | Report right away a crossing death that happens within 24 hours of the crash | Federal rule |
These duties cut both ways. If a gate was down and the driver went around it, that matters. If the sign or signal was missing, that matters too.
Who can be blamed for a crossing crash in Fort Worth?
The railroad, the driver, or both. Railroads send the federal government a monthly report of reportable accidents, so a lawyer can ask what was filed.
A public agency may share blame if its vehicle was involved. Trinity Metro is a regional transportation authority created under state law, and its Risk Management office handles claims. For a public agency, notice is due in 6 months.
The city is working on crossing safety, including a project at the Trinity Railway Express and Riverside Drive crossing. If the City of Fort Worth is a possible defendant, its charter asks for written notice within 180 days. The notice must say how it happened and what damages you claim.
What should you do after a train or crossing accident?
- Call 911. Stay clear of the tracks, even if your car is stuck.
- Get checked at a Level I trauma center. John Peter Smith Hospital and Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth both qualify.
- Photograph the crossing: the gates, lights, signs, road surface and your view down the track.
- Write down the railroad's name and any ID number on the crossing sign.
- Ask a lawyer to send the railroad a written request to keep its train data and video.
How long do you have to sue after a train accident in Fort Worth?
Generally 2 years. If a child was hurt at a crossing, the clock can be paused until age 18. Even so, the 6-month notice to a public agency keeps running.
A jury that puts you above 50 percent at fault ends a Texas claim. In a crossing case, the bills that count are the ones actually paid or owed.
Questions
Are train horns required at every Fort Worth crossing?
No. A quiet zone with the right devices does not require the horn.
Can I get the railroad's accident report?
Railroads file monthly reports with the federal government. A lawyer can ask the railroad and the agency for what was filed.
Does a bus have to stop at a crossing?
Yes. A bus carrying passengers for pay must stop 15 to 50 feet from the rail before crossing.
What if someone died at a crossing?
We are sorry. A railroad must report right away a crossing death that happens within 24 hours of the crash, and the Medical Examiner offers help at 817-920-5700.
Train accident in Fort Worth? See if you are owed money.
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See if I’m owed moneySources (25)
- City of Fort Worth, Railroad Safety Program, checked 2026-11-09. “today there are 204 grade crossings in the city”
- City of Fort Worth, Railroad Safety Program, checked 2026-11-09. “Fort Worth has more railroad grade crossings per capita than any other large city in Texas.”
- 49 CFR 225.9, checked 2026-11-09. “A fatality resulting from a train accident or train incident at a highway-rail grade crossing when death occurs within 24 hours of the accident/incident”
- Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003, checked 2026-11-08. “not later than two years after the day the cause of action accrues”
- Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 101.101, checked 2026-11-08. “not later than six months after the day that the incident giving rise to the claim occurred”
- Operation Lifesaver, citing preliminary 2025 FRA statistics (updated 11/6/26), checked 2026-11-09. “1. Texas 262 28 83”
- Tex. Transp. Code § 545.251, checked 2026-11-09. “shall stop not closer than 15 feet or farther than 50 feet from the nearest rail if”
- Tex. Transp. Code § 471.002, checked 2026-11-09. “A railway company that does not erect a sign required by Subsection (a) is liable for a resulting injury to a person or resulting damage to property.”
- City of Fort Worth, 2025 City Facts, checked 2026-11-09. “n Alcon Laboratories n Bell Flight Fort Worth n Burlington Northern Santa Fe LLC”
- NCTCOG, General Freight Planning, checked 2026-11-08. “BNSF Railway’s Intermodal and Carload Transportation Center located near Alliance Airport”
- City of Fort Worth, Railroad Safety Program, checked 2026-11-09. “With suitable quiet zone devices in place, the locomotive’s horn does not have to be sounded.”
- Tex. Transp. Code § 545.253, checked 2026-11-09. “shall stop the vehicle not closer than 15 feet or farther than 50 feet from the nearest rail of the railroad”
- 49 CFR 225.11, checked 2026-11-09. “Each railroad subject to this part shall submit to FRA a monthly report of all railroad accidents/incidents”
- Trinity Metro, FY26 Adopted Budget, checked 2026-11-09. “The Fort Worth Transportation Authority dba Trinity Metro is a regional transportation authority of the State of Texas, created pursuant to Chapter 452 of the Texas Transportation Code”
- Trinity Metro, FY26 Adopted Budget, checked 2026-11-09. “Risk Management investigates accident and injury reports, handles claims, and represents Trinity Metro in court proceedings.”
- City of Fort Worth, Riverside Drive at TRE Crossing, checked 2026-11-09. “This project includes designing and constructing safety improvements at the Trinity Railway Express (TRE) and Riverside Drive crossing.”
- Fort Worth City Charter, Chapter XXVII, Section 25, checked 2026-11-08. “within one hundred eighty (180) days after the same has been sustained, unless good cause is shown”
- Fort Worth City Charter, Chapter XXVII, Section 25, checked 2026-11-08. “the amount of damages, the amount for which the claimant will settle”
- Texas DSHS, Texas Trauma Facilities, checked 2026-11-08. “JOHN PETER SMITH HOSPITAL 11/1/2028 E FORT WORTH 76104”
- Texas DSHS, Texas Trauma Facilities, checked 2026-11-08. “TEXAS HEALTH HARRIS METHODIST HOSPITAL FORT WORTH 1/1/2029 E FORT WORTH 76104”
- Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.001, checked 2026-11-08. “the time of the disability is not included in a limitations period”
- Martinez v. Val Verde County Hospital District (Tex. 2004), checked 2026-11-09. “The lower courts held that it is not,[2] and we agree.”
- Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 33.001, checked 2026-11-08. “a claimant may not recover damages if his percentage of responsibility is greater than 50 percent”
- Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 41.0105, checked 2026-11-09. “recovery of medical or health care expenses incurred is limited to the amount actually paid or incurred by or on behalf of the claimant”
- Tarrant County Medical Examiner, FAQs, checked 2026-11-08. “Assistance is available 24 hours a day at 817-920-5700.”