01373600

Component

https://doi.org/10.3141/2289-20

http://scholar.google.com...rkan&publication_year=2012

Analysis of the causes of train accidents is critical for rational allocation of resources to reduce accident occurrence in the most cost-effective manner possible. Train derailment data from the FRA rail equipment accident database for the interval 2001 to 2010 were analyzed for each track type, with accounting for frequency of occurrence by cause and number of cars derailed. Statistical analyses were conducted to examine the effects of accident cause, type of track, and derailment speed. The analysis showed that broken rails or welds were the leading derailment cause on main, yard, and siding tracks. By contrast to accident causes on main tracks, bearing failures and broken wheels were not among the top accident causes on yard or siding tracks. Instead, human factor–related causes such as improper use of switches and violation of switching rules were more prevalent. In all speed ranges, broken rails or welds were the leading cause of derailments; however, the relative frequency of the next most common accident types differed substantially for lower- versus higher-speed derailments. In general, at derailment speeds below 10 mph, certain track and human factor causes—such as improper train handling, braking operations, and improper use of switches—dominated. At derailment speeds above 25 mph, those causes were nearly absent and were replaced by equipment causes, such as bearing failure, broken wheel, and axle and journal defects. These results represent the first step in a systematic process of quantitative risk analysis of railroad freight train safety, with an ultimate objective of optimizing safety improvement and more cost-effective risk management.

01453666

12-0875

English

pp 154–163

2012

Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board

9780309223294

Print

Figures; References; Tables

Crash causes; Crash data; Crash rates; Crash risk forecasting; Derailments; Railroad safety; Risk management; Speed; Statistical analysis

Railroads; Safety and Human Factors; I80: Accident Studies

TRIS, TRB, ATRI

Feb 8 2012 4:58PM

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• Decision Support System to Optimize Railway Stopping Patterns: Application to Taiwan High-Speed Rail
• Development and Assessment of Taxonomy for Performance-Shaping Factors for Railway Operations
• Development of Base Train Equivalents to Standardize Trains for Capacity Analysis
• Development of the Next Generation of Intercity Corridor Bi-Level Equipment with Crash Energy Management
• Development of Wavelet Technique to Interpret Ground-Penetrating Radar Data for Quantifying Railroad Ballast Conditions
• Dual-Mode and New Diesel Locomotive Developments
• High-Speed Rail Versus Air Transportation: Case Study of Madrid–Barcelona, Spain
• High-Speed Route Improvement Optimizer
• Methodological Framework for Analyzing Ability of Freight Rail Customers to Forecast Short-Term Volumes Accurately
• Movement of Water Through Ballast and Subballast for Dual-Line Railway Track
• Portable Emission Measurement System for Emissions of Passenger Rail Locomotives
• Risk Assessment of Positive Train Control by Using Simulation of Rare Events
• Slab Track Mass-Spring System
• Source of Ballast Fouling and Influence Considerations for Condition Assessment Criteria
• Stochastic Rail Wear Model for Railroad Tracks
• Value for Railway Capacity: Assessing Efficiency of Operators in Great Britain