Table 2-39: Railroad System Safety and Property Damage Data
Table 2-39: Railroad System Safety and Property Damage Data
(Excludes highway-rail grade-crossing accidents)
| 1970 | 1975 | 1980 | 1985 | 1990 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fatalities | 785 | 575 | 584 | 454 | 599 | 567 | 551 | 602 | 577 | 530 | 512 | 550 | 594 | 533 | 530 | 548 |
| Injured persons | d17,934 | 50,138 | 58,696 | 31,617 | 22,736 | 12,546 | 10,948 | 10,227 | 10,156 | 10,304 | 10,424 | 9,828 | 10,104 | (R) 8,165 | (R) 7,864 | 7,734 |
| Accidentsa | 8,095 | 8,041 | 8,205 | 3,275 | 2,879 | 2,459 | 2,443 | 2,397 | 2,575 | 2,768 | 2,983 | 3,023 | 2,738 | (R) 3,004 | (R) 3,339 | 3,107 |
| Train-miles (millions)b,c | 839 | 755 | 718 | 571 | 609 | 670 | 671 | 677 | 683 | 712 | 723 | 712 | 729 | 744 | (R) 771 | 790 |
| Rate per 100 million train-miles | ||||||||||||||||
| Fatalities | 94 | 76 | 81 | 80 | 98 | 85 | 82 | 89 | 84 | 74 | 71 | 77 | 82 | 72 | (R) 69 | 69 |
| Injuries | N | 6,641 | 8,179 | 5,538 | 3,735 | 1,873 | 1,632 | 1,511 | 1,487 | 1,446 | 1,442 | 1,381 | 1,387 | (R) 1,098 | (R) 1,020 | 978 |
| Accidents | 965 | 1,065 | 1,143 | 574 | 473 | 367 | 364 | 354 | 377 | 389 | 413 | 425 | 376 | (R) 404 | (R) 433 | 393 |
| Property damage (current $ millions) | 121.6 | 177.4 | 267.4 | 179.3 | 198.7 | 189.2 | 212.3 | 210.7 | 233.9 | 245.1 | 263.2 | 314.5 | 266.5 | (R) 297.5 | (R) 325.2 | 335.0 |
KEY: N = data do not exist; R = revised.
a Train accidents only; excludes highway-rail grade-crossing accidents.
b 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 2004, Group II rail accounted for 83 million train-miles, and other rail for 27 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 2004, Class I yard/switching train-miles totaled 63 million train-miles. Note that commuter rail safety data are reported in the rail mode and the transit mode. Commuter rail train-miles are included in Class I rail and Group II rail in this table.
c 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.
d 1970 injuries not comparable to later years due to change in reporting system.
NOTE
This table includes information for both freight and passenger railroad operations.
SOURCES
Fatalities, injuries, accidents, and property damage:
1970-90: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration, Office of Policy and Program Development, Accident/Incident Bulletin (Washington, DC: annual issues), tables 14 and 15.
1995-2000: Ibid., Railroad Safety Statistics Annual Report 2000 (Washington, DC: July 2001), tables 1-1 and 3-1.
2001-05: Ibid., Internet site http://safetydata.fra.dot.gov/OfficeofSafety/Query/Default.asp as of Mar. 27, 2006.
Train-miles:
1970-90: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration, National Transit Database (Washington, DC: annual issues), form 406.
1995-99: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration, Internet site http://safetydata.fra.dot.gov/OfficeofSafety/Forms/Default.asp as of Aug. 22, 2002.
2000-05: Ibid., Internet site http://safetydata.fra.dot.gov/OfficeofSafety/Query/Default.asp as of Mar. 27, 2006.