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U.S. Department of Transportation U.S. Department of Transportation Icon United States Department of Transportation United States Department of Transportation

Table 1 - Train Accidents and Fatalities 

Monday, September 10, 2012

Table 1 - Train Accidents and Fatalities

(Excludes highway-rail crossings)

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Year Accidents Fatalities
1978 10,991 61
1980 8,205 29
1985 3,275 8
1990 2,879 10
1995 2,459 14
2000 2,983 10

NOTE: Train accidents are events involving on-track rail equipment that result in monetary damage to the equipment and track above a certain threshold. In 1998, that threshold was $6,600. Most trespasser, nontrespasser, and employee fatalities result from events that are categorized as incidents (rather than accidents).

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration, Accident/Incident Overview (Washington, DC: Annual issues).