Recent train derailments, including one in a small Ohio town, have prompted officials to examine what is causing the accidents and whether they are happening more frequently.
Derailments rank as the most common type of accident involving major freight railroads, federal data shows. Equipment failures are increasingly responsible for derailments, and problems with equipment and train tracks accounted for nearly 60% of derailments nationwide last year.
To better understand train derailments, The Wall Street Journal analyzed data that railroads filed with both the Federal Railroad Administration and the Surface Transportation Board. When possible, the data reflects accidents and derailments on so-called main lines, encompassing incidents outside of rail yards and on tracks that pass through communities such as East Palestine, Ohio, the site of a Feb. 3 derailment involving Norfolk Southern Corp.
The number of derailments among major freight railroads has fallen sharply since 2000, data shows. However, the rate of derailments for some railroads has increased in recent years as they haul more freight over fewer train miles.
Rail accidents by type, 2000 to 2022
Highway-rail crossing
23%
Derailment
Other
54%
11%
Collision
7%
Obstruction
5%
Highway-rail
crossing
23%
Derailment
Other
54%
11%
Collision
7%
Obstruction
5%
Highway-rail
crossing
23%
Derailment
Other
54%
11%
Collision
7%
Obstruction
5%
The number of derailments is heaviest in counties closest to where major rail hubs lie. Cook County, Ill., home to Chicago, ranked No. 1 in terms of derailments—with 144—while Kern County, Calif., and Harris County, Texas, were No. 2 and 3, respectively.
Train derailments by county, 2000 to 2022
Railway
East Palestine
Number of derailments
150
50
10
Railway
East Palestine
Number of
derailments
150
50
Railway
East Palestine
Number of
derailments
150
50
Equipment failure was the most common reason cited for derailments among the major freight rail carriers last year. That is a change from years past when track failures ranked No. 1.
Derailments by cause, 2000 to 2022
23% of train derailments
in 2022 were caused by
track failures.
Track failure
36%
Equipment failure
24%
Human error
17%
Other*
2000
'05
'10
'15
'20
23%
Track failure
36%
Equipment failure
24%
Human error
17%
Other*
2000
'05
'10
'15
'20
23%
Track failure
36%
Equipment failure
24%
Human error
17%
Other*
2000
'05
'10
'15
'20
Executives from railroads and an industry trade group point to progress in reducing the total number of derailments over time. Technologies such as temperature sensors monitoring for equipment issues along rail tracks in addition to other safety practices have contributed to the decline, they say.
Train derailments by year
900
600
300
0
2000
'05
'10
'15
'20
900
600
300
0
2000
'05
'10
'15
'20
900
600
300
0
2000
'05
'10
'15
'20
Most large freight railroads in the country, starting around 2016, began introducing precision-scheduled railroading.
The goal of PSR is to make operations more efficient, often by cutting expenses and running fewer trains on tighter schedules. Trains also tend to be longer and heavier as part of efforts to get as much cargo heading in the same direction as possible.
Not all railroads ended up carrying less cargo over time, but they said changes often helped them make better use of equipment.
Annual carloads carried by Class 1 railroads, in millions
2015
BNSF
2022
Union Pacific
Norfolk Southern
CSX
Canadian National
Canadian Pacific
Kansas City Southern
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Carloads carried by Class 1 railroads, in millions
2015
BNSF
2022
Union
Pacific
Norfolk
Southern
CSX
Canadian
National
Canadian
Pacific
Kansas City
Southern
0
2
4
6
8
10
Carloads carried by Class 1 railroads, millions
2015
BNSF
2022
Union
Pacific
Norfolk
Southern
CSX
Canadian
National
Canadian
Pacific
Kansas City
Southern
0
2
4
6
8
10
As a result, the railroads were able to cut the number of miles traveled.
Main line train miles, percentage change since 2000
Norfolk Southern
Other major railroads
40%
20
0
-20
-40
-60
2000
'05
'10
'15
'20
Norfolk Southern
Other major railroads
40%
20
0
-20
-40
-60
2000
'05
'10
'15
'20
Norfolk Southern
Other major railroads
40%
20
0
-20
-40
-60
2000
'05
'10
'15
'20
Despite fewer miles being traveled, the rate of derailments has increased in five of the last seven years. The derailment rate among the seven Class I railroads is also higher than it was a decade ago.
Norfolk Southern’s rate of derailments has been higher than the average among Class I railroads for the last five years. The company said that it had lower derailment rates than the Class I average until about 2014 and that it has been consistent with the industry since then.
Average annual derailments per million train miles
1.25
1.00
0.75
Norfolk Southern
0.50
Big seven
railroads
0.25
0
2000
’05
’10
’15
’20
Average annual derailments per million train miles
1.25
1.00
0.75
Norfolk Southern
0.50
0.25
Big seven railroads
0
2000
’05
’10
’15
’20
Average derailments per million train miles
1.25
1.00
Norfolk
Southern
0.75
0.50
0.25
Big seven
railroads
0
2000
’05
’10
’15
’20
Norfolk Southern has also had sharply higher costs than its peers in terms of the damage resulting from derailments in recent years.
The company said that fewer than 5% of its accidents have cost more than $1 million since at least 2000.
Damage costs in derailments, percentage change since 2000
Norfolk Southern
Other major railroads
400%
300
200
100
0
-100
2000
'05
'10
'15
'20
Norfolk Southern
Other major railroads
400%
300
200
100
0
-100
2000
'05
'10
'15
'20
Norfolk Southern
Other major railroads
400%
300
200
100
0
-100
2000
'05
'10
'15
'20
Write to Ming Li at ming.li@wsj.com, Josh Ulick at josh.ulick@wsj.com and Esther Fung at esther.fung@wsj.com