Chicago Central & Pacific Railroad v. Union Pacific Railroad

HARRIS, Justice.

This suit stems from a freight train derailment that occurred near Williams, Iowa, in December 1990. Two railroad companies dispute, on numerous theories, whether one of them should compensate the other for various items of damage stemming from the derailment. We affirm in part and reverse in part and remand on the appeal, and affirm on the cross-appeal.

A “truck bolster” is a solid steel casting that forms a part of the framework upon which a railroad car rests as it travels on the rails. The failure of one such bolster caused this derailment and the ensuing litigation. The…