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 | 2000 | 2001 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Employee fatalities accidents / incidents, total | 40 | 35 | 34 | 47 | 31 | 34 | 33 | 37 | 27 | 31 | 24 | 22 |
Grade-crossing accidents and incidents | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
Train accidents and incidents only (grade-crossing excluded) | 35 | 34 | 32 | 44 | 30 | 32 | 32 | 37 | 23 | 29 | 22 | 21 |
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 | 8,423 | 7,771 |
Grade-crossing accidents and incidents | 169 | 147 | 157 | 143 | 126 | 123 | 79 | 111 | 122 | 140 | 100 | 96 |
Train accidents and incidents only (grade-crossing excluded) | 20,801 | 19,479 | 17,598 | 15,220 | 12,954 | 10,654 | 9,120 | 8,184 | 8,276 | 8,482 | 8,323 | 7,675 |
Employee hours (millions) | 553.6 | 530.7 | 517.0 | 519.7 | 518.6 | 510.3 | 504.6 | 503.9 | 514.9 | 510.0 | 490.9 | 475.4 |
Fatality rates per million employee hours | ||||||||||||
All accidents / incidents | 0.07 | 0.07 | 0.07 | 0.09 | 0.06 | 0.07 | 0.07 | 0.07 | 0.05 | 0.06 | 0.05 | 0.05 |
Grade-crossing accidents and incidents | 0.01 | <0.01 | <0.01 | 0.01 | <0.01 | <0.01 | <0.01 | <0.01 | 0.01 | <0.01 | <0.01 | <0.01 |
Train accidents and incidents only (grade-crossing excluded) | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.08 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.07 | 0.04 | 0.06 | 0.04 | 0.04 |
Injury rates per million employee hours | ||||||||||||
All accidents / incidents | 37.9 | 37.0 | 34.3 | 29.6 | 25.2 | 21.1 | 18.2 | 16.5 | 16.3 | 16.9 | 17.2 | 16.3 |
Grade-crossing accidents and incidents | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
Train accidents and incidents only (grade-crossing excluded) | 37.6 | 36.7 | 34.0 | 29.3 | 25.0 | 20.9 | 18.1 | 16.2 | 16.1 | 16.6 | 17.0 | 16.1 |
Train-miles (millions)a,b | 609 | 577 | 594 | 614 | 655 | 670 | 671 | 677 | 683 | 712 | 723 | 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 | 0.03 | 0.03 |
Grade-crossing accidents and incidents | 0.01 | <0.01 | <0.01 | <0.01 | <0.01 | <0.01 | <0.01 | <0.01 | 0.01 | <0.01 | <0.01 | <0.01 |
Train accidents and incidents only (grade-crossing excluded) | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.05 | 0.07 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.03 | 0.04 | 0.03 | 0.03 |
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 | 11.7 | 10.9 |
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 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
Train accidents and incidents only (grade-crossing excluded) | 34.2 | 33.8 | 29.6 | 24.8 | 19.8 | 15.9 | 13.6 | 12.1 | 12.1 | 11.9 | 11.5 | 10.8 |
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.
NOTE
This table includes information for both freight and passenger railroad operations.
SOURCES
1990-95: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration, Highway-Rail Crossing Accident/Incident and Inventory Bulletin (Washington, DC: annual issues).
1996-2001: Ibid., Railroad Safety Statistics Annual Report (Washington, DC: annual issues), tables 1-3, 2-4, and 3-1.