With a number of train derailments making national news recently, you might be wondering just how many derailments there are in the United States each year. The answer is… a lot.
With the recent train derailment in East Palestine, one would think this is something that just never happens in the United States.
And while the horrifying effects of the East Palestine derailment cannot be overlooked or diminished here in terms of what that aftermath will end up being, the fact is train derailments kind of happen a lot in this country, to the tune of around 1,000 each and every single year.
Why Are There So Many Train Derailments Per Year?
If you’re thinking that sounds like a lot, that’s because it is. And one of the most common reasons for so many derailments is broken railroads and poor infrastructure, which is becoming a tale as old as time for the U.S.
According to the Federal Railroad Administration, faulty or missing crossties are the single largest cause of derailments, factoring into things 5.6% of the time in 2022. Other things like faulty switch points, track obstructions, and excessive speed also factored into the ongoing scourge of derailments.
And while derailments have decreased substantially over the decades (there were 6,328 in 1975!), it remains insane that so many still occur on an annual basis. Though with zero emphasis on infrastructure improvements over the years, it’s certainly not surprising.
Can Trains Even Be Considered Safe?
Fatalities from train derailments are rare, making it still one of the safer modes of transportation. However, this doesn’t take into account the fact that many of these trains are hauling toxic chemicals and have wreaked havoc on communities over the years. The situation in East Palestine is just the latest in a long line of chemical spills from train derailments, with the scope of ramifications still hardly understood years later in some cases.
So even while the current presidential administration is focused on infrastructure improvements, it’s doubtful the trend of a thousand or more train derailments will subside anytime soon, especially as companies like Norfolk Southern cut every conceivable corner they can to reward stockholders.
Which means the train derailment in East Palestine won’t be the last time this happens.
