Thompson v. New York Cent. & H. R. Railroad

Headnote

Railroads—Bridging Ditches—Injuries to Pedestrian—Negligence.

A railroad company had a ditch on the side of its track, which was covered by a culvert over which there was a highway and a way for pedestrians. The six feet intervening between the railroad track and the culvert was unfenced on the sides. Plaintiff, on a dark night, while walking in a careful manner, with knowledge of the ditch and its surroundings, and attempting, while crossing the tracks, to take such course as would lead her to the sidewalk crossing the ditch, went a little too far to one side, there being no light or well-defined path to, guide her, and fell into the ditch where unguarded. Held, that the questions of negligence and contributory negligence were for the jury.

Appeal from trial term, Orleans county.

Action by Jane Thompson against the 27ew York Central & Hudson River Railroad Company. From a judgment for plaintiff and from an order denying a new trial, defendant appeals.

Affirmed.

The action was commenced on the 8th day of March, 1898, to recover damages for injuries sustained by the plaintiff on the 12th day of November, 1897, by falling into a ditch constructed and maintained by the defendant upon its premises in the village of Lyndonville, N. Y., and which injuries, it is alleged, resulted through the negligence of the defendant. The defendant controls and operates a railroad which extends east and west through the village of Lyndonville, in the county of Orleans. The southerly track is known as the

“main track,” and another, on the north side of it, which extends parallel with, and the ordinary distance from, the main track, is -known as the “siding.” South of the main track, and upon the property and right of way of the defendant, there is a ditch extending for a considerable distance, varying ' from 8 to 10 feet in depth, being from 15 to 20 feet broad at the top, the sides being steep or abrupt. Crossing this ditch and the two tracks of the defendant at right angles is the main street or highway in the village of Lyndon-ville. The surface of defendant’s roadbed, of the highway, and the premises adjacent is all substantially level. The village, which numbers about 500 inhabitants, lies to the south of defendants tracks. Leading from the village northerly, the highway crosses defendant’s tracks and the ditch, there being a driveway for teams in the center of the usual width, and a plank sidewalk on each side of the highway. The ditch is carried under the highway and sidewalk by a stone culvert, which extends the full width of the highway. The sidewalk upon the easterly side of the highway extends to within six feet of the southerly rail of defendant’s track, and to the northerly bank of the ditch. From that point, leading north, there is no regular sidewalk, and pedestrians cross the defendant’s tracks upon a more or less irregular cinder path, which extends northerly of defendant’s tracks. The evidence tends to indicate that from defendant’s tracks, and on the northerly bank of the ditch, there is no well-defined walk, except such as is made by tramping upon the cinders or ground beyond. Commencing some distance southerly of defendant’s tracks, and immediately east of the sidewalk, there was a fence extending across the ditch in question, and to a point about six feet from defendant’s track, and this fence, at the sidewalk crossing the ditch, made a barrier or guard, which would prevent people while upon the sidewalk from falling into the ditch.. This fence, guard, or barrier stopped at precisely the-same point that the sidewalk stopped, and, as before said, within about six feet of the southerly rail of defendant’s main track. The" evidence tends to indicate that such fence extended as near to defendant’s track as was proper, having in view the safe operation of its trains at that point. The situation, as above described, had continued substantially the same from the year 1876. The plaintiff, on the 12th d'ay of November, 1897, had been at work in a factory located northerly of defendant’s tracks and property, and easterly of the highway in question. About 6 o’clock on the evening of that day, she, with two other employes, left the factory to go to their respective homes, which necessitated their crossing the tracks and property of the defendant. The evidence tends to show that at the time they left the factory it was very dark,—so dark, as some of the witnesses expressed it, “you could not see your hand before your face,” The plaintiff made her way westerly towards the highway. She states that there was nothing to indicate whether she was upon the beaten path or. otherwise, except the knowledge that she was not walking upon the grass, but rather upon cinders. She also states that at the time the wind was blowing very hard; that when she reached the railroad track of the defendant she did her best to take such course as would lead her to the walk which approached the southerly track of the defendant from the south, and across the ditch in question, but that while doing her best in that regard she wept a little too far to the east,—went on the east side of the guard,—and fell into the ditch just east of the sidewalk; in other words, that -she stepped on the wrong side of the barrier leading across the ditch. In so falling, she sustained the injuries complained of, which are not the subject of very much dispute. The plaintiff had lived in the village of Lyndonville all her lifetime, had crossed the defendant’s property upon the sidewalk many times, and was entirely familiar with the situation as it existed at the time. The contention of the plaintiff is that the defendant was guilty of negligence in permitting the ditch upon its property to so remain that the plaintiff, under the circumstances disclosed by the evidence, should have fallen into the same. The defendant contends that, in the exercise of ordinary care and prudence, it did all that it was required to do to protect the traveling public and the plaintiff against injury from the structure which it had made and maintained.