SPECIAL STUDY. BROKEN RAILS: A MAJOR CAUSE OF TRAIN ACCIDENTS

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.

• Corporate Authors:

  National Transportation Safety Board

  490 L'Enfant Plaza, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20594
• Publication Date: 1974-1-2

Media Info

• Pagination: 21 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crashes; Failure; Fracture mechanics; Maintenance of way; Railroad rails; Railroad tracks; Safety; Standards
• Old TRIS Terms: Rail failure; Rail fracture; Track standards
• Subject Areas: Railroads; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00054413
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: NTSB-RSS-74-1 Spec Rpt
• Files: NTIS, TRIS
• Created Date: Jun 10 1976 12:00AM