Railroad deaths totaled 954 in 2022, an 11% increase from the 2021 revised total of 859 and the highest since 2007.
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In 2022, the United States registered 950 rail fatalities and around 6,400 non-fatal injuries on the railroads. Injury and fatality numbers had fallen during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, but 2022 saw a resurgence of accidents above pre-pandemic levels.
While fatalities from train derailments are rare, derailments themselves are actually quite common. From 1990, the first year the BTS began tracking derailments and injuries on a yearly basis, to 2022, there have been 55,741 accidents in which a train derailed. That's an average of 1,689 derailments per year.
Compared to other popular forms of travel, such as cars, ships, buses, and planes, trains are one of the safest forms of transportation in the United States.
Track Defects are the Most Common CauseTrack defects emerged as the leading cause of train derailments. The significance of continuous infrastructure maintenance and inspections cannot be overstated.
The 2004 Sri Lanka tsunami train wreck is the deadliest recorded train disaster in history, claiming the lives of at least 1,700 people. The incident was the result of a devastating tsunami caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, which caused severe destruction to railway infrastructure.
U.S. employment in rail transportationAt the same time, working conditions for the employees remaining at these railroads have deteriorated. “Even the good pay and pensions aren't worth it anymore, because they're being so overworked,” said Schuhrke.
Figures from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) state that approximately 60% of all railroad crossing fatalities occur at unprotected or passive crossings.
The Great Train Wreck of 1918. On July 9, 1918, two passenger trains collided head-on in Nashville, Tennessee. Today, it remains the worst railroad accident in United States history.
The 2004 Sri Lanka tsunami train wreck is the largest single rail disaster in world history by death toll, with 1,700 fatalities or more. It occurred when a crowded passenger train (No 50, Matara Express) was destroyed on a coastal railway in Sri Lanka by a tsunami that followed the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake.
The WTC is New York's most lethal construction project, with 60 fatalities. However, the Brooklyn Bridge is NYC's deadliest if you adjust for project size. Its death rate is twice as high as the WTC – 50 fatalities per thousand workers compared to 17.14.
High Compensation: In 2020, Class I freight rail employee compensation, including benefits, averaged about $135,700 per year. Railroad retirees are covered by the Railroad Retirement System, which is separate from social security and is funded by railroads and their employees.
Because trains operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, railroad workers' schedules may vary to include nights, weekends, and holidays. Most work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week. Federal regulations require a minimum number of rest hours for train operators.
The Malbone Street wreck remains the deadliest crash in the New York City Subway's history, as well as one of the worst rapid transit crashes in the history of the United States. The reported death toll ranged from 93 to 102, with about 250 injuries.
Moorpark derailment: Amtrak train carrying more than 200 people rams truck : NPR. Moorpark derailment: Amtrak train carrying more than 200 people rams truck Amtrak says the Coast Starlight train was carrying 198 passengers and 13 crew when it rammed into a public works truck on a raised gravel crossing.
The top 5 states with derailments over the last decade are Texas, Illinois, California, Pennsylvania and Ohio. The interactive map displays railroad derailments between 2012 and 2023, based on data compiled by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Railroad Administration.