Authors: U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)

Date of Publication:  January 1974

Sponsoring Agency:  U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)

Performing Organization:  U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Bureau of Surface Transportation Safety

Report No: NTSB-RRS-74-1

Abstract:

The report identifies broken rails as the largest single cause (in 1972) of train accidents and suggests that the problem will magnify.  The study analyzes the current means for controlling rail failures, such as rail manufacture, use, inspection, research, and regulation.

Recommendations are directed to the Federal Railroad Administration to revise accident reporting methods, to determine the reason for the drastic increase in train accidents resulting from broken rails, to promulgate additional regulations prescribing rail use and maintenance, to develop criteria for rail inspection, and to initiate research of rail and rail flaw detection methods.  Recommendations also are directed to the railroad industry to initiate rail research, to accumulate rail failure statistics, and to institute track maintenance policies that will reduce the number of train accidents resulting from broken rails.
 

No. of Pages:  20