Table 2-40. Fatalities and Injuries of On-Duty Railroad Employees
Table 2-40. Fatalities and Injuries of On-Duty Railroad Employees
| 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employee fatalities | ||||||||||
| Accidents/incidents, total | 40 | 35 | 34 | 47 | 31 | 34 | 33 | 37 | 27 | 31 |
| Grade-crossing accidents and incidents | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| Train accidents and incidents only (grade-crossing excluded) | 20 | 22 | 23 | 32 | 25 | 27 | 24 | U | U | U |
| Employees injured | ||||||||||
| Accidents/incidents, total | 20,970 | 19,626 | 17,755 | 15,363 | 13,080 | 10,777 | 9,199 | 8,295 | 8,398 | 8,622 |
| Grade-crossing accidents and incidents | 169 | 147 | 157 | 143 | 126 | 123 | 79 | 111 | 122 | 140 |
| Train accidents and incidents only (grade-crossing excluded) | 3,282 | 3,003 | 2,274 | 1,832 | 1,703 | 1,500 | 1,303 | U | U | U |
| Employee hours (millions) | N | 530.7 | 517.0 | 519.7 | 518.6 | 510.3 | 504.6 | R503.9 | 514.9 | 510.0 |
| Fatality rates per million employee hours | ||||||||||
| All accidents/incidents | N | 0.07 | 0.07 | 0.09 | 0.06 | 0.07 | 0.07 | 0.07 | 0.05 | 0.06 |
| Grade-crossing accidents and incidents | N | <0.01 | <0.01 | 0.01 | <0.01 | <0.01 | <0.01 | 0.00 | 0.01 | <0.01 |
| Train accidents and incidents only (grade-crossing excluded) | N | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.06 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 | U | U | U |
| Injury rates per million employee hours | ||||||||||
| All accidents/incidents | N | 37.0 | 34.3 | 29.6 | 25.2 | 21.1 | 18.2 | 16.5 | 16.3 | 16.9 |
| Grade-crossing accidents and incidents | N | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.3 |
| Train accidents and incidents only (grade-crossing excluded) | N | 5.7 | 4.4 | 3.5 | 3.3 | 2.9 | 2.6 | U | U | U |
| Train-miles (millions)a | 609 | 577 | 594 | 614 | 655 | 670 | 671 | 677 | 683 | 712 |
| Fatality rates per million train-miles | ||||||||||
| All accidents/incidents | 0.07 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.08 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.04 | 0.04 |
| Grade-crossing accidents and incidents | 0.01 | <0.01 | <0.01 | <0.01 | <0.01 | <0.01 | <0.01 | 0.00 | 0.01 | <0.01 |
| Train accidents and incidents only (grade-crossing excluded) | 0.03 | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.05 | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.04 | U | U | U |
| Injury rates per million train-miles | ||||||||||
| All accidents/incidents | 34.4 | 34.0 | 29.9 | 25.0 | 20.0 | 16.1 | 13.7 | 12.3 | 12.3 | 12.1 |
| Grade-crossing accidents and incidents | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
| Train accidents and incidents only (grade-crossing excluded) | 5.4 | 5.2 | 3.8 | 3.0 | 2.6 | 2.2 | 1.9 | U | U | U |
a Train-miles in this table differ from train-miles in the vehicle-miles table in Chapter 1. Train-miles reported in Chapter 1 include only Class I rail (see glossary for definition), while
this table includes Class I rail, Group II rail, and other rail. In 1999, Group II rail accounted for 75 million train-miles, and other rail for 25 million train-miles. Moreover, the vehicle-miles table in Chapter 1 includes only train-miles between terminals and/or stations, thus excluding yard and switching miles. In 1999, Class I yard/switching train miles totaled 70 million train-miles.
Note that commuter rail safety data are reported in the rail mode and in the transit mode. Commuter rail train-miles are included in Class I rail and Group II rail in this table.
b A train-mile is the movement of a train (which can consist of many cars) the distance of 1 mile. A train-mile differs from a vehicle-mile, which is the movement of 1 car (vehicle) the distance of 1 mile. A 10-car (vehicle) train traveling 1 mile would be measured as 1 train-mile and 10 vehicle-miles. Caution should be used when comparing train-miles to vehicle miles.
KEY: N = data do not exist; U = data are unavailable; R = revised
NOTE: This table includes information for both freight and passenger railroad operations.
SOURCES:
1990-96: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration, Highway-Rail Crossing Accident/Incident and Inventory Bulletin (Washington, DC: Annual issues).
1997: Ibid. Railroad Safety Statistics Annual Report 1997 (Washington, DC: September 1998), table 1-1, 1-3.
1998-99: Ibid. Internet site http://safetydata.fra.dot.gov/OfficeofSafety/Prelim/1999/r01.htm, r02.htm, and r03.htm, as of June 23, 2000.
1999: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration, Office of Safety Analysis, personal communications, July 20, 2000.