Railroads have been a vital presence in American transportation for nearly 200 years moving both passengers and freight efficiently and effectively. Freight railroads in the United States are mostly owned by private companies, who maintain and operate their own networks. Passenger systems, whether through Amtrak or various commuter railroads, require public assistance and either operate on their own track or pay to use freight railroad-owned track.
Safer Railroading: A Guide Toward Targeted Safety Policy
Railroads are among the safest modes of transportation for workers, riders, and the public. Strong federal standards for railroad track and operations, technological investments like positive train control, and communities’ infrastructure improvements have yielded significant gains. But most of these gains have plateaued and in some cases safety trends are moving in the wrong direction. A new strategy and framework is needed to address the most significant safety issues facing railroads. This report explores trends in railroad safety data and actionable recommendations for federal, state, local, and private sector actors to make a demonstrable improvement in railroad safety.