What to do if you fall on train tracks?

If there is enough time, run in the direction of traffic toward the end of the platform and use the emergency stairs there. An emergency stop will be issued by the station guard. If there's no time, lie down between the tracks, face down, head in the direction of travel.



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Get out of the vehicle and get away from the tracks. Locate the Emergency Notification System [ENS] sign. Call the phone number provided on the sign and tell them about the stalled vehicle. If an ENS sign is missing or you can't locate one at the site, call 911.

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Never trespass or cross tracks illegally. Railroad tracks are private property, not public trails. It's illegal and dangerous to walk on or near tracks unless you're using a designated crossing.

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There are countless reasons never to walk, run or play on rail tracks and rail property. Most people don't know it can take more than a mile to stop a train — the equivalent of about 18 football fields. That makes it difficult, if not impossible, for a train to stop if someone is on the tracks.

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When running away from a vehicle stuck on tracks, run away from the tracks at an angle in the direction of the approaching train. If a train is not approaching when a vehicle is stuck on the tracks, be sure to get yourself and all other passengers out of the vehicle and to a safe location.

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In rail transport, a derailment occurs when a rail vehicle such as a train comes off its rails. Although many derailments are minor, all result in temporary disruption of the proper operation of the railway system and they are a potentially serious hazard.

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The accidents are often minor and rarely lead to death or injury, though some have led to major environmental disasters. About 1,000 derailments occur every year across the United States, according to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA).

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The middle of the train is by far the safest for persons. The National Transportation Safety Board does not release comprehensive data on where victims were sitting during fatal train accidents, though some details are available in individual investigative reports.

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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.

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The train is faster, bigger, and more powerful – it can't stop fast enough to avoid you. People have died because they tried to outrun a train. Pedestrians have died because they were walking on the tracks and did not realize how fast the train was coming.

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Slow down when approaching a railroad crossing. Look both ways TWICE before crossing a railroad track. Never engage in a race with a train to cross the tracks. Keep a minimum distance of 15 feet from the tracks when stopped.

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One thing that can happen is, the rails can get to be higher than the road crossing them. This can be caused by the road settling or th tracks becoming higher because of trackwork, including placing more ballast to the railbed. This condition could cause a car or truck to get hung up on the rails, unable to move.

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Walking on or beside railroad tracks is illegal. The only safe place to cross tracks is at designated public crossings with a crossbuck, flashing red lights or a gate.

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Reduce your speed when approaching crossings and look both ways. Look and listen for trains even if the red lights and crossing arms aren't active. Reduce speed when approaching crossings and look both ways. Be sure all tracks are clear before crossing — there may be more than one set.

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In one study conducted at the BNSF Railway Hobart Railyard in Los Angeles, the California Environmental Protection Agency estimated that residents living near a railyard experienced a higher risk of carcinogen exposure.

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Looking at traffic fatalities per mile traveled in the U.S., analyst Todd Litman found that riding commuter or intercity rail is about 20 times safer than driving; riding metro or light rail is about 30 times safer; and riding the bus is about 60 times safer.

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While trains have more accidents, plane crashes typically kill a lot more people per incident.

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