FREIGHT RAILROAD SAFETY KEY FACTS
- Freight rail is the safest way to move freight over land, underscoring the importance of rail safety.
- Employees are dedicated to going home safely.
- Technology and infrastructure investments make the network safer and boost freight rail safety significantly.
Railroads collaborate daily with employees, suppliers, customers, and officials to ensure network and community safety. Their holistic approach includes modernizing infrastructure, training employees, advancing technology, supporting first responders, and securing physical and digital networks. Billions in annual private investments drive these efforts and have helped reduce the Class I mainline accident rate 43% since 2005.
Employee Safety
Railroads prioritize safety culture through knowledge-sharing and training centers with simulators and virtual reality. Daily employee meetings emphasize teamwork and ongoing on-the-job learning. Innovations like drone-based bridge inspections not only enhance job performance but also ensure employee safety, a prime concern in freight rail safety.
Technology
Rapidly evolving technology complements the human skill and ingenuity that have made railroads the pioneers of American growth and innovation. Our approach ensures that technology enhances, rather than replaces, the vital role of our workforce to deliver safe, reliable and efficient rail services. Therefore, embracing technology is critical for maintaining freight rail safety.
Hazmat Safety
Freight railroads are the safest way to transport hazmat, ensuring the well-being of communities, their employees, and the environment. Beyond complying with strict regulations and operating practices, such efforts are integral to freight rail safety. Railroads have advocated for more stringent tank car standards, voluntarily developed the AskRail app and provide training for first responders, and worked with the FRA to create routing software.
Grade Crossing & Pedestrian Safety
Railroads are actively addressing challenges at public grade crossings, collaborating with various stakeholders to ensure safety. Progress includes a decline in fatalities over the years, a testament to dedicated efforts in improving freight rail safety. Collaborative efforts include reducing crossings, installing safety devices, and partnering with Congress and entities to enhance awareness and fund projects.
Infrastructure Safety
Railroads are dedicated to meeting the high safety standards applied to every aspect of operations. Across the network, railroads employ thousands of well-trained inspectors — qualified per Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) regulations — who monitor and assess the health and safety of rail equipment, a cornerstone of freight rail safety, and infrastructure like bridges often exceeding the federal inspection regulations.
Cyber & Network Security
Following a regularly updated comprehensive Security Management Plan, railroads share information and identify, mitigate, and respond to risks. This proactive approach to freight rail safety is crucial. The rail industry was one of the first to immediately review, test, and update safety procedures based on new threats after 9/11 and since 1999, freight railroads have maintained a unified cybersecurity plan.