Image credited to: pixabay by Owen Wahi from Pixabay
Rail accidents are now a common sight in our environments; one would wonder why there is an increase in rail accident. For instance, in year 2022 in U.S., the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) records show that 2,197 train collisions occurred, causing the death of 274 people and 812 people sustained injuries. While in the year 2021, 2,152 train collisions occurred, resulting into death of 236 people while 683 people sustained injuries. In view of this, you will notice an increase in the railroad accidents. Rail accident or rail crash occurs when two trains collide on the same track. Another accident that is common to railway transport is when the moving rail suddenly leaves its tracks or runs off its rail probably due to head collision with an object, operational error, and mechanical error, amongst others. In U.S. the Federal Railroad Administration, reveals that in the year 2022, there were 518 derailments, causing damage of more than 100 million US. Dollars, without deaths while only five, people sustained injuries.
Painful enough, each time a rail accident occurs many innocent people sustained serious injuries while some innocent people also lose their lives. For instance, in June 2, 2023, three trains collided into each other, causing at least the death of 295 people while 900 people sustained injuries, in Balasore- a city in Odisha- a state in Indian. Source: Wikipedia.
In 28 June, 2023, in the U.S. an Amtrak train derailed after striking a water truck, causing 16 people to sustained injuries. Source: Wikipedia.
In 28 February, 2023, in Greece, a passenger train belonging to Hellenic Train, a private railway company collided head-on with a freight train, killing at least 57 people and injuring over 85 people. Source: Wikipedia.
One would continue to wonder the reasons or the causes of rail accidents that are becoming worrisome. To this end, it is important to note that there are different reasons that cause rail accidents, such as broken rails, over speeding, etc. For instance, 25 March, 2023, a locomotive train ran into a car at high speed killing one person while three people sustained injury, in Galati, Romania. Source: Wikipedia.
However, here are the notable causes of rail accidents:
- Staff error
Failure of railway staff to exercise proper caution or care that prudent professionally trained staff are expected to exercise in certain situations to improve the rail transport safety may lead to a railway accident. This may also include other parties involved in business with the railway transport company. E.g. supply of substandard equipment and the use of undetectable substandard equipment, failure to switch on the signal light for proper warning, improper operation of equipment, failure to adopt or make use of latest or better technology to improve rail transport safety, probably due to its huge capital expenditure, etc. For instance, a safety report submitted to the Indian Railway Ministry shows that failure of railway staff is the biggest cause of train accidents and derailments that have led to maximum deaths and injuries to passengers.
- Careless Pedestrians, Drivers & Motorcycle Operators
Oftentimes, the road-rail crossing accidents in which a motor vehicle collides with a train at a legal crossing point or level crossing is caused by careless drivers. The road-rail accidents are mostly due to driver errors e.g. distraction leading to reduced vigilance and increased skill-based errors, such as trying to beat the train at level crossing, etc. These accidents account for more fatalities and serious injuries than train to train collisions and derailments. Likewise, the train-pedestrian accidents i.e. a train collides with a person, which may largely be due to pedestrian errors. Train-pedestrian accidents are less common when you compare it with other forms of pedestrian accident like collisions between motor and pedestrians on the road. However, when they occur, they are more likely to lead to death or irreparable damage e.g. amputation. Therefore, the need for public education on safe railway crossing behavior so as to reduce or prevent unsafe pedestrian railway crossing behavior cannot be over emphasized. In simple language, having considered the dangers in train-pedestrian accidents and train-motor accidents, it’s important for motorists and pedestrians to be more cautious around the railway tracks.
- Mechanical Breakdown or Malfunction.
Occasionally, engines and equipment malfunctions, e.g. faulty brake and undetected damage may occur and may be the factors behind railway accidents.
- Excessive Speed.
High-speed may lead to railway accident or derailment. Hence, the need to reduce devastating consequences of high-speed by appropriate measures and features in the train design including the running gear cannot be over-emphasized.
- Worn Rail
This occurs when the rail undergoes gradual deterioration on both the side and the length of the rail due to frequent use by heavy loaded wheel. This may also cause railway accident or derailment.
- Poor & delay in maintenance of rail tracks.
Another major cause of rail accident may be due to poor conditions of rail tracks which have caused many rails to derail. For example, a report on derailment in Indian Railways submitted to the Indian Parliament in December 2022, shows that the major factor responsible for derailments was related to “maintenance of tracks”
- Faulty equipment
If the equipment like electrical system, brake system, etc. that the vehicle is equipped with is faulty this may cause rail accident. For instance, if the communication equipment of a rail is faulty, it may lead to rail accident. This may occur when trains travelling on the same tracks collide due to poor communication.
- Derailment:
This is common to rail accident. Derailment occurs when the train runs off its railroad or jumps off the railroad probably due to technical faults in the rolling stock, mechanical faults or collision, including excessive speed on a bend track with bad combination of cabins or cars regarding their weight, with different wheel loads like front-rear / left-right, on a single train causing unbalance train movement, all of these may allow derailment to occur.
- Faulty railroad:
Cracks and gaps in the railroads may cause rail to run off its track causing a rail accident. Railroad has certain amount of strength. However, increase in train speeds with higher wheel loads on a busy railroad or track over a period of time may reduce the strength of the railroad or allow broken rail to occur. Put differently, high forces apply on the rail when heavy loaded wheel pass over it may lead to defects and failure to fix it in time may put the rail at the risk of failure and final result of faulty railroad is a derailment.
- Human error:
Last but not least is the human error. In fact, poor maintenance, weak bridges, bad or poor equipment, poor train conductor, bad train crossing, faulty railroad, among others are good examples of human errors. It is the baneful consequences of rail accidents.
Thank you!
