Memorial Plaque Honors Victims, Survivors Of 2008 Metrolink Crash In Chatsworth

MOORPARK (CBSLA.com) — A memorial plaque was unveiled Thursday to honor the 24 people who died and the dozens who were injured five years ago when a Metrolink train crashed into a freight train in Chatsworth.

The actual bell from Metrolink 111 was rung 24 times at the ceremony, which took place at 4:40 p.m., the same time the train would have pulled into a station in Moorpark on Sept. 12, 2008.

The plague read, "In memory of those who left us. In honor of those who survived."

The woman who organized the memorial has a son who was among those critically injured in the accident. She said she wanted to make sure the victims and survivors weren't forgotten.

KCAL9's Kristine Lazar spoke with those affected by the collision.

"(It's) very hard. They say it gets easier, but it hasn't," said Diana Garcia, a victim's relative. "It seems like it got harder this year for all of us."

"I still get teary-eyed on this day. I know I could have been one of the dead persons on the train," said survivor Gerald Akins.

An issue that was mentioned at the ceremony was a federal law that places a $200 million cap on any sort of settlement that those who are in a train accident can receive.

Some survivors said they have life-long injuries and the money they received isn't enough to care for them.