The number of train derailments grew by more than a quarter during the last five years, and the head of the National Transportation Safety Board called Thursday for more frequent and more detailed inspections. Derailments rose from 1,741 in 1997 to 2,206 in 2001, a jump of 27 percent, Federal Railroad Administration statistics show. In January, one person died when a Canadian Pacific Railway freight train derailed in Minot, N.D. and released more than 250,000 gallons of anhydrous ammonia. Safety board Chairwoman Marion Blakey told the House Transportation railroads subcommittee that the Federal Railroad Administration needs to increase track inspections. She also called for new technologies in performing the work. Federal Railroad Administrator Allan Rutter acknowledged the rise in derailments, but said the agency is working to address the problem. There had been just 400 federal and 150 agency-trained state inspectors to oversee how well the railroads inspected 230,000 miles of track, but the Federal Railroad Administration is adding 12 track inspectors this year and plans to add another 12 next year, Rutter said. In addition, many derailments occurred in train yards, far from the main lines that carry freight and passenger traffic, he said. The House subcommittee called the hearing following several recent train accidents. Besides the chemical spill in Minot and the Auto Train derailment in Florida, a freight train and commuter train collided in Placentia, Calif., in April, killing two people; and two trains derailed last month after colliding with trucks. Eight cars of a freight train derailed in Indiantown, Fla., and 10 cars of an Amtrak train derailed in Coosawhatchie, S.C., injuring 14 people. ``These recent accidents, while tragic, do not represent a trend,'' Rutter said. ``Progress has been made and will continue to be made in improving the safety of America's railroad industry.'' Two passengers were killed in train collisions and derailments between 1997 and 2001, and another 13 in grade crossing accidents, out of 2.3 billion passengers riding the rails, Rutter said. Edward Hamberger, president of the Association of American Railroads, an industry group, said accidents overall have been dropping. Even as derailments rose, government statistics show, railroad accidents and incidents declined by 3.6 percent between 1998 and 2001, from 16,503 to 15,908.
Being a locomotive engineer I'm concerned for the condition of the track I run on. There has been comments by MOW guys that they just have been cut back too far and can't cover all the jobs that have to be done to maintain the minimum conditions. This puts the pressure on the track inspectors to do a more thourgh job to find soft spots and kinks. There have been several times I've had to call the dispatcher and get someone to come look at a problem area. There's the added pressure of depending on the other engineer coming at me on single track to rely on him to stop at the red block when you are taking the siding trying to get out of his way. You really have to trust him or her. A big help is communicating with them early especially when blocking crossings can be an issue. The head on in Texas on 5/28 is a mystery to me as why it happened. Was the coal train crew fatigued or forgot where they were or not paying attention???? Perhaps having CTC on that line would have helped.
First off, welcome aboard, Doctor D! I'm glad to see that those concerned are seeing the difference between accidents caused by bad track and those that are grade crossing related or collisions. The first step to dealing effectively with a problem is to bring it's scope down to somthing reasonable. For once, I applaud the progress being made by congress.
I just finished watching the History or Learning Channel on railroad derailments and dissasters. That was a sobering show! There has been no further word on the head-on wreck here on 5/28.
