railroad safety News

Danish Passenger Train Hits Falling Cargo from Freight Train, Killing 6, Injuring 16

A Danish passenger train apparently hit falling cargo from a passing freight train Wednesday, an accident that killed six people and injured 16 others as it crossed a bridge linking the country’s islands, authorities said. The accident was the worst …

Two-Thirds of Commuter Trains May Miss Braking Technology Deadline

As many as two-thirds of the 29 U.S. commuter railroads may not meet a deadline to install an anti-crash technology by the end of the year, according to a report by a government watchdog seen by Reuters. The report by …

‘Public Is Tired of Excuses’ for Delays in Anti-Crash Tech: Republican Chairman

The chair of a congressional committee on Thursday urged U.S. railroads and transit agencies to meet a looming deadline to install an anti-crash technology called positive train control after a series of recent crashes. “I think the American public is …

‘No-Fault’ Pacts with Railroads Hold Amtrak Liable for Accidents It Didn’t Cause

Federal investigators are still looking at how CSX railway crews routed an Amtrak train into a parked freight train in Cayce, South Carolina, last weekend. But even if CSX should bear sole responsibility for the accident, Amtrak will likely end …

Railroads Urged to Accelerate Installation of Safety System

U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao urged the nation’s railroads and transit agencies to take all possible measures to meet deadlines to install a safety system called positive train control (PTC) to prevent crashes. Letters dated Dec. 27, which were made …

U.S. to Investigate Growing Length of Freight Trains as Threat to Safety

The investigative arm of the U.S. Congress is launching a probe into the safety of increasingly long freight trains being operated by CSX Corp, Union Pacific Corp. and other major U.S. railroads to boost profitability, the U.S. Government Accountability Office …

After Fiery Iowa Derailment, Safety Official Calls for Faster Rail Car Upgrades

A federal safety official called on the rail industry to move faster to upgrade aging rail tankers following a fiery train derailment in rural Iowa that spilled ethanol into a creek and was still burning nearly two days after it …

Many Railroads Slow to Adopt Safety Technology Even After Deadline Extension

Many commuter and freight railroads have made little progress installing safety technology designed to prevent deadly collisions and derailments despite a mandate from Congress, according to a government report released. The technology, called positive train control or PTC, uses digital …

Investigators Say Amtrak Engineer Was Distracted Before 2015 Philly Crash

The Amtrak engineer at the controls of a speeding train that derailed in Philadelphia last year, killing eight people, was distracted in the moments before the accident, U.S. investigators are preparing to conclude at a meeting Tuesday. The National Transportation …

Most Small Railroads to Miss Brake Safety Deadline, Says NHTSA

Only a small number of U.S. railroads will meet the Dec. 31 deadline for implementing new train safety technology that experts say would have prevented the deadly May 12 Amtrak derailment in Philadelphia, officials said on Friday. A report to …