.

On that note, I wonder how his new consulting business (JER LLC) will turn out?

https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-e-rimm ... gle.com%2F

I didn't know he'd been Heber Valley's Chief Mechanical Officer for a time until I read that page just now.

Greetings,

I'm back from vacation and I saw I had a PM from another forum user. I direct, without comment, you all to the following:

https://www.justice.gov/usao-wy/pr/wasatch-railroad-contractors-and-its-chief-executive-officer-sentenced-wire-fraud-and

In particular:

I assume this "evidence" was fabricated with the same "quality" as the boiler work done by the former company. It's a shame someone isn't honest in their dealings with their fellow man.

Welcome back Mr. Wilkins. Is it correct that the tank car explosion that killed two workmen was not a part of this court proceeding? The last I saw on that subject was it was being investigated by OSHA or the FRA.

Just wondering. Thanks, Ross Rowland

OSHA fined them $61,375 for seven violations for the explosion. I don’t know if the FRA would investigate since it wasn’t an operating accident.

No, the tank car investigation is another entire deal. This case just dealt with the Steamtown coach.

Wyoming OSHA actually investigated. Wyoming is one of the states that does it's own OSHA enforcement, in the shoes of federal OSHA. I doubt the FRA would investigate.

What's the source on the fine amount?

OSHA report online. You can search for them here: https://www.osha.gov/pls/imis/accidentsearch.html

I couldn’t find an FRA report but it’s unlikely they’d investigate.

I found it listed on the OSHA website listed under fines of minimum of $ 40,000 in the state of Wyoming.

Listed under inspection # 1526603.015 dated 10/15/2021 for fines totaling
$ 61,375.00 for " willful violations".

My guess is that they'll never see the money as Wasatch Railroad Contractors, Inc.
folded its tent as part of the John Rimmasch/Wasatch implosion and bankruptcy.

Sad. Ross Rowland

Are we sure this is for the explosion resulting in fatalities? I ask because I do not know, is it listed in black and white for that incident? If so, wow. That is extremely sad. I wonder if any of that money was to go to the families of those affected.

OSHA fines go to the U.S. Treasury General Fund, with credit to OSHA.

If the families get anything, it is generally through civil court action (lawsuit) and any insurance that is available.

There's allegedly a separate lawsuit. When WRRC was in bankruptcy, an attorney representing the family of one of the deceased filed motions to get permission to proceed on a separate wrongful death case. There was an indication that WRRC had insurance, which if accurate, may be able to compensate the families.

Yup. Read it online on the OSHA website. You can do a search for the report starting with the link in my previous post.

Not long after the tragic tank car accident there was a GoFundMe page started to raise funds to help cover the funeral expenses for I believe both victims families with the implication ( IIRC) that Wasatch RR Contractors had no insurance coverage on them whatsoever.

IIRC the page had an objective of $ 25k and had only raised a small fraction ( $ 1,500) of that goal about 3 months later. Darn shame as one of the workers left behind a wife and young kids.

Sure hope it turned out that there was some insurance.

Ross Rowland

I went back and checked the WRRC bankruptcy docket. Yes, it appears, according to the filing made by the family of one of the deceased, that WRRC had insurance from two carriers that would cover losses. Coverage amounts were unstated.

Good to hear that the families were taken care of. Hopefully they got a big fat check. Granted, they would rather have it the other way around. Such a sad situation.

I guess safety isn’t as important to some people. Safety should be number one, two and three. After that, doing things correctly the first time should go in there somewhere.