At least 17 of the top commuter and intercity railroads will receive millions of dollars in funding from the US government to increase rail safety with automatic braking systems that are intended to automatically slow down trains that are in potentially dangerous situations. The Department of Transportation stated last month that it would issue $197 million in funding after commuter […]
Commuter Rails Systems To Receive Millions to Boost Safety
Virginia Rail Express Adding Safety Technology to Rail Lines
Work is continuing in Virginia to install Positive Train Control (PTC) onto railroad tracks that experts say could have prevented many recent, fatal train accidents, such as in Hoboken, New Jersey, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Virginia Rail Express (VRE), a popular commuter rail line in the state and in the metro Washington DC area, stated in early March 2017 that it […]
Mesothelioma Rate in Maine Is Highest in US
Cancer including mesothelioma that is linked to asbestos exposure has been found to kill Maine residents at the fastest rate in the country, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A March 2017 CDC report on mesothelioma and asbestos has brought new focus onto the many dangerous of asbestos exposure. Researchers in that study found that from […]
Fatal Train Accident in Massachusetts Highlights RR Crossing Safety
A 59 year old man was killed on March 12 in Longmeadow, Massachusetts when his work truck was struck at a railroad crossing by an Amtrak plow train. The death of the man at the railroad crossing has brought up many worries and complaints from many in the community. Many feel that there should be additional safety features at that […]
BNSF Railroad Pleads for US Government to Pay for Life Saving Train Technology
A leading freight railroad has been urging Congress to pay for passenger railroad companies to install positive train control or PTC on all passenger trains. BNSF Railway has been one of the leading companies promoting the use of PTC, a technology that will slow a train down automatically that is going over the speed limit. PTC will eventually be required […]
Owasso, OK Man Blames Railroad Crossing Crash on Malfunction
A man in Oswasso, Oklahoma is blaming faulty railroad lights and gates for him slamming into a train on Feb. 1, causing himself minor injuries and serious damage to his car. Witnesses say that they were not surprised that the lights were allegedly not working and gates not functioning. Some say that it is a frequent occurence when trains roar […]
Exiting FRA Chief Hopes Technology Will Save More Lives
Ex-Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Chief Sarah Feinberg was in the job for only weeks in 2015 when a commuter train slammed into an SUV stopped on the tracks just north of New York City. Six people died in the train crash. That Feburary 2015 train crossing accident highlighteed a problem that has been with the railroad industry for more than […]
Long Island Commuter Train Crash Injures 100
A Long Island, New York Rail Road commuter train crashed at the end of a platform on Jan. 4 as it pulled into a station, hurling passengers to the floor and slamming them into one another. The front of the slow moving commuter train hit a bumping block as it was pulling into Atlantic Terminal in Brooklyn. The train left […]
Long Island Train Traveled at Double the Speed Limit Before Crash
A Long Island Railroad commuter train that crashed in Brooklyn on Jan. 4 was traveling at double the speed limit when it slammed into the train station. More than 100 people were hurt, according to federal investigators. The train was going more than 10 miles per hour when it smashed into the end of the tracks at Atlantic Terminal in […]
Deadly Arkansas Train Collision Caused by Engineer Fatigue
A fatal crash and derailment between two Union Pacific trains in Arkansas on Aug. 17, 2014 was the result of a tired engineer and conductor who were likely both asleep on at least one of the trains, according to federal investigators this month. The dual train crash happened in Hoxie, Arkansas, and the NTSB reported that it could have been […]