Crash Safety for Railroad Passengers, Train Crews, and Grade Crossing Crash Victims

Crashworthiness observations over ten years of accident investigations in major railroad accidents are reviewed and significant factors and recommendable factors pointed out. Although rail fatalities are far fewer than highway fatalities, improvements have fewer limitations and railroads have a long term future, making for efficient effort.

Problems are in railroad passenger cars, design of locomotive and caboose. Certain accidents could pose catastrophic failures of crashworthiness. Rail rapid transit and crash protection for vehicle occupants at grade crossings are ahead. Automotive engineers are challenged by nine design problems.