What makes trains derail

Note that broken rails and welds are responsible for more than half of all track-related derailments. The second most common caused of train derailments is equipment failure in a train or car.

This can include train breaks failing, a locomotive bearing or wheel failure, or electric defects in the locomotive. It can be the result of a car equipment failure including bearing failure, broken car wheels, or defects in car axles or journals.

Human error and negligence is the third most common cause of train derailment. The most recent comparison study , conducted in by economist Ian Savage , compared fatality rates for several different forms of travel in the US. The number of rail deaths from year to year ranges widely because many can happen in large, sporadic accidents , but between and , a person was about 17 times more likely to die while traveling in a car, compared to a train, for the same distance:.

Across the US, trains derail more often than you might think — last year, for instance, there were a total of 1, derailments. But the majority of them cause no injuries or deaths, and often only cause damage to the cargo they're carrying. This is partly because just a slim minority of US trains carry passengers most carry freight , and because most trains cars are designed to survive some level of impact.

Additionally, most miles of track are in relatively rural, unpopulated places. Most derailments are relatively benign, and can be compared to a person walking down the street, tripping, getting back up, and continuing on her or his way. Unless derailed cars crash into houses, strike passenger trains, or release hazardous material into a neighborhood, derailments do not normally affect civilians.

Bibel also notes that derailments have become dramatically less common over the years, with a huge dip in the annual rate in the s:. George Bibel. There's been a similar dip in fatalities per passenger mile, Savage has found. The decline was mainly caused by improvements in technology that were implemented after the freight industry was heavily deregulated in , allowing companies to turn a profit, so they could invest more in track and new equipment.

Serious injuries that can result from train derailments include:. Railroads understand that they are responsible for the safety of their employees and their passengers. When they fail to do their jobs and perform maintenance or follow safety regulations, people get hurt. It is not easy to derail a train by force or collision, but derailments are the most common type of train accident. The Federal Railroad Administration reports that there were 4, derailments in the U.

But what causes these derailments? Leaving a penny on a train track will probably not derail a train. A collision with a vehicle on the tracks is not likely to cause a derailment either. Trains are extremely large and heavy, and derailments due to collisions are unlikely. The leading causes of derailments in the U. Problems with the track and human error are two of the most common causes of train derailment.

Track monitoring and inspections are essential to prevent derailments caused by defective tracks and switches. Proper training and safety standards can help to prevent human error, such as improper handling of a train or excessive speed.

All of these things can help prevent train derailments. Talk to an attorney. To help you rebuild and face a more stable future, you could be entitled to financial compensation for your medical bills, funeral costs, lost income, emotional trauma, and possibly much more.

This cannot erase this experience or bring back a loved one, but it can bring peace of mind and financial stability—while holding the negligent party accountable. Negligence is almost always the reason why a train derails from its track. Train derailments and railroad crossing accidents can be deadly.

Considering the sheer size of a train, the people it is carrying and the speed at which it moves, a derailment can cause serious injuries to passengers, damage to property and in the worst cases, can be fatal. Some train derailments can be traced to human fault. If you or a loved one has been injured or lost property as a result of the negligence of a train driver or train operator, consult a California train accident attorney as soon as possible.

If a train is carrying toxic cargo, a derailment can potentially destroy the surrounding environment, as was the case in in Louisiana when train carrying hydrochloric acid derailed and spilled nearly 10, gallons of the acid, forcing thousands of people to vacate their homes. The Federal Railroad Administration reports that between and , there were 9, train derailments across the country.

In there were 1, derailments, lower than in In the same period in California, reports show there were train derailments.