51 So. 616 | Ala. | 1910
— It is negligence, except under special circumstances to stand upon the platform of a car of a rapidly moving commercial railroad train. The inevitable lurching and jerking of a train so propelled makes the danger obvious to the ordinary understanding and the negligence self-evident. Modern vestibuled trains
The complaint shows that the plaintiff went upon her car — a sleeping car — as a passenger after night, and, having safely gotten, aboard and into her appointed place, while yet the train was standing at the station, went out upon the rear platform, and was injured by falling down the steps. No occasion for her presence upon the platform is shown, except that in some of the counts it is alleged that the car was hot and uncomfortable. She Avent upon the platform, as we must infer, not to pass betAveen cars, nor between her car and the ground; but she Avent there to be there. She charges her injury to the negligence of the defendants, in that the lid or drop door over the steps was raised, and there was no light in the vestibule, Avhereby she was enabled to know that fact. Plaintiff states the particular facts upon which she bases her charge of negligence. Upon them it must rest.
No defect in the construction or condition of the platform and steps is alleged, except that the drop door was raised, and no light provided in the vestibule. Plaintiff Avas not using the steps. Her case is that, standing up
If, however, the defendants induced plaintiff to believe that the drop door would remain down while the train stopped at the station, a different case would be presented, and plaintiff attempts to state such a case in one or more counts. The averment is that the platform was commonly used as an observation platform, and that the passengers on said car were accustomed to go upon said platform a,t their will, both while said train was standing at station and Avhile in motion, which custom was known to the defendants. We observe here no averment that the platform Avas constructed for the purpose of serving as an observation
We find nothing to the contrary of what we have said in the cases which have been brought to our notice. They are all cases in which passengers received injury by reason of the fact that the drop doors of vestibuled cars were left up while the train was in progress between stations. ' Crandall v. M., St. P. & S. S. M. Rwy. Co., 96 Minn. 434, 105 N. W. 185, 2 L. R. A. (N. S.) 6.45, 113 Am. St. Rep. 653, and the cases discussed in the appended case note are relied upon. In that case plaintiff’s aunt, in whose charge he was, had the express assurance of an employe of the railroad company that the platform was a safe place for the child with her, a boy only seven years old, as everything was securely fastened. Thereupon she permitted the boy to go upon the platform, from which he fell through the open door and was injured. The ruling was that the defendant was not bound to have the car vestibuled; but, having done so, it could not lead passengers to believe that the doors of the vestibule would be kept closed between stations, and then negligently leave them open, without incurring liability to a passenger injured thereby. That hardly seems a debatable case; certainly it does not sustain plaintiff’s position in the case at bar. —Bronson v. Oakes, 76 Fed. 734, 22 C. C. A. 520, and N. P. R. R. Co. v: Adams, 116 Fed. 324, 54 C. C. A. 196, proceed upon an identical principle. We are in full ac
The judgment of the court below, sustaining a demurrer to each count of the complaint, must be affirmed.
Affirmed.