Our Aging Railway System

Unfortunately, train derailments are becoming fairly common occurrences.

Recently, outside of Philadelphia, a passenger train derailed leaving six people

dead and another 140 injured.

Although officials have not finished their investigation into the crash, early reports

indicate that the most likely cause was either a broken rail or a loose weld.

These are the two most common causes of train derailments and account for more than 15 percent of all train derailments according

to the Federal Railroad Administration.

In the last ten years there have been over 100,000 reported railroad incidents and

accidents across the U.

S railway system and this number is expected to grow due to the aging tracks, crossings and bridges that these trains use

on a daily basis.

All of this is occurring at the same time that ridership of trains is steadily increasing.

In 2014, Amtrak reported record ticket revenues and record ridership across its

system.

More riders on an aging system is a recipe for continued disasters to occur, so what is

being done about it.

The Federal Government Must Play A Large Role In Improving Our Aging Railway System

The federal government has long played a critical part in funding our railway system as part of its overall transportation program.

Recently, however, the transportation House Appropriations Committee voted to

institute funding cuts for Amtrak to the tune of $300 million dollars.

The members of the house committee see this as a type of tough love towards Amtrak, which they hope will force Amtrak to innovate and begin to

take more financial responsibility for the rail system that they use to transport their paying

customers.

Our Aging Railway System Gets A Grade

In 2013, the American Society of Civil Engineers gave the U. S rail system a grade

of "C plus" on its national infrastructure report card.

This they noted is actually an

improvement over past grades as the

U.S.

government and the railroads combined have put considerable resources in recent

years into improving railroad tunnels, tracks and bridges.

Since 2009 both freight and passenger railroad companies themselves have

invested more than $75 billion dollars into these types of infrastructure improvements.

The American Public Transportation Association, after studying the issue of our aging railway system, has recommended that the federal

government spend $50 billion dollars over the next six years in order to do their part in

improving our U.S.

railway system, in order to make it as safe and reliable as possible

for both freight and passenger traffic.

Most of goods that we consume spend some time moving via rail and more people are using rail than ever before for their own

personal transportation.

Making sure that our aging railway system is up to the task must be a priority and will

require the continued efforts of the federal government and the railway companies

themselves in order to succeed.