Crossing accidents push rail fatalities up

The number of fatalities on U.S. railroads reached 217 in the first four months of this year, up 10.2% over the same period in 2009, according to preliminary statistics for January-April posted on the website of the Federal Railroad Administration’s Office of Safety Analysis.

Primarily responsible for the increase was a 26.1% jump in grade crossing fatalities, from 69 in the 2009 period to 87 this year. Trespasser fatalities added up to 112 this year, the same as in the corresponding 2009 period. Employee fatalities also remained at he same level as last ear—seven.

A total of 728 railroads reported 3,486 accidents/incidents in this year’s first four months, down 3.8% from last year.

Train accidents declined 7% to 596 in the 2010 period, with collisions down 20.8% to 38 and derailments down 3.6% to 429.

Track causes were blamed for 198 train accidents, down 4.3% from last year; human factors for 190, down 6.9%; equipment causes for 106, down 20.8%; signal cases for 17, down 10.5%; and miscellaneous causes for 107, down 1.9%.

The number of yard accidents declined 1.8% to 319 in the 2010 period.