Crossing, trespassing fatalities up in January

Of the 60 fatalities reported by U.S. railroads in January, 58 were caused by highway-rail grade crossing collisions (27) and trespassing (31), according to preliminary figures posted March 31 by the Surface Transportation Board’s Office of Safety Analysis. The two other fatalities were not immediately specified. There were no reported employee deaths.

Crossing fatalities were up 69% from January 2010, and trespassing fatalities increased 29%, continuing a trend that persisted through most of 2010.

The 665 reporting railroads (a figure that was down 11% from January 2010) listed a total of 902 accidents/incidents, a drop of 6.7%.

Train accidents declined 19.4% to 141, derailments were down 15.4% to 104, and collisions increased from five to six. Yard accidents declined 7.1% to 79.