NS Conductor Killed in Grade Crossing Incident

A Norfolk Southern conductor working in Cleveland was killed on Tuesday after being struck by a dump truck at a grade crossing.

The incident occurred as an NS train worked at a Cleveland-Cliffs facility.

Dead is Louis Shuster, 46, of Broadview Heights. News reports indicated the truck appeared to have struck a string of tank cars at 1:19 a.m.

The train was moving through the crossing at the time of the incident.

The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen said Shuster was the president of BLET Division 607 in Cleveland, an Army veteran, father of a 16-year-old son, and caregiver for his elderly parents.

“Lou was a passionate and dedicated union brother,” said Pat Redmond, local chairman of Division 607.  “He was always there for his coworkers. He was very active in helping veterans who worked on the railroad and veterans all across our community.”

NS CEO Alan Shaw traveled to Cleveland after learning of the incident and met with NS workers at Rockport Yard who had worked with Shuster.

“This is an awful day that leaves a hole in our company’s spirit,” Shaw said in a statement. “We have reached out to Lou’s family to offer our condolences. We will give them time to grieve, and we will be there with support for anything they need.”

Shaw’s statement indicated the cause of the incident is still under investigation.