6 People Died After Train Crashed into SUV That Got Stuck on the Tracks

It has been nearly eleven years since a Metro-North commuter train slammed into an SUV stuck on the tracks in Valhalla, New York. Six people died in a fireball that investigators later described as one of the most catastrophic accidents in modern rail history.

Now, after a legal battle that dragged on for more than a decade, Metro-North has agreed to pay more than $182 million to victims and their families.

The settlement is one of the largest ever for a U.S. rail disaster. But for many families, it doesn’t feel like closure.

“This should never have taken this long,” attorney Andrew Maloney said in an interview. “People lost spouses. People lost fathers and friends. Some survivors will never be the same. Metro-North fought this for almost eleven years, and that’s unforgivable.”

A Night That Changed Everything

The crash happened during rush hour on February 3, 2015. Traffic was thick. Drivers were anxious to get home. That’s when 49-year-old Ellen Brody, a mother of three, ended up stopped on the tracks at a crossing in Valhalla.

Witnesses say the crossing gate came down behind her SUV. Instead of reversing, she inched forward. Investigators later revealed the Metro-North engineer hit the emergency brake just three seconds before impact. The train was traveling 50 mph.

The collision ignited the SUV’s fuel tank. Then the third rail tore loose, broke into pieces, and speared through the first passenger car — a design flaw federal investigators would later call “catastrophic.”

Five men in that front car died instantly. Brody was killed as well.

Years of Blame, Confusion, and Delays

In 2017, the National Transportation Safety Board concluded that Brody made critical mistakes. But the agency also issued a blistering warning about Metro-North’s aging third rail system.

“The third rail penetrated the passenger compartment with fatal consequences,” investigators wrote. “The design increased the number and severity of injuries.”

A 2024 jury agreed. It found Metro-North overwhelmingly responsible — 71 percent liable for the deaths of the five passengers and the injuries of dozens more. It also found the railroad 63 percent liable for Brody’s death.

Maloney says the verdict confirms what victims long believed.

“Metro-North knew the dangers,” he said. “And they dragged this out while families waited year after year for justice.”

Who Gets What

Court records show the highest payout, $79 million, goes to the family of 42-year-old Joseph Nadol, a Harvard graduate and respected JP Morgan equity analyst. Other families of those killed received varying amounts based on age and projected lifetime earnings.

Twenty-nine survivors — many suffering permanent injuries — will receive settlements ranging from $125,000 to $8 million.

Notably, the Brody family’s suit is still unresolved.

The Unanswered Safety Question

Maloney says the biggest problem is still sitting on Metro-North’s rails.

“They haven’t fixed the design flaws,” he said flatly. “There are simple, practical upgrades they could make right now. We gave them the solutions. They ignored them. This accident could happen again today.”

Rail safety experts have raised similar concerns in past years. Some called the Valhalla crash a “wake-up call.” Others warned that aging commuter lines across the Northeast face similar risks.

Metro-North insists it’s moving in the right direction.

“Metro-North continues to prioritize safety and has worked with state and federal agencies on crossing enhancements for more than a decade,” MTA spokesperson Joana Flores said in a statement.

For Families, the Pain Never Faded

The settlement may be historic, but for many, the grief is still raw.

One survivor described the crash site as “a scene from a disaster movie.” Another said he still can’t ride trains without panic attacks. Families of those killed often speak of birthdays missed, careers cut short, and children who grew up without fathers.

“It’s not about money,” Maloney said. “It’s about accountability. It’s about fixing what failed. And that still hasn’t happened.”