As freight trains continue to grow longer, the U.S. has witnessed an uptick in derailments stemming from the forces of railcars pushing and pulling against each other, according to a report released Tuesday by the National Academies of Sciences. This long-anticipated report calls on regulators, Congress, and the rail industry to reassess the associated risks.
The report emphasizes the need for heightened care in assembling trains that span more than a mile or two, especially those comprising a mix of different car types. This concern echoes a warning issued last year by the Federal Railroad Administration.
“Long trains aren’t inherently dangerous. But if you don’t have adequate planning on how to put the train together, they can be,” noted Peter Swan, a Penn State University professor and one of the report’s authors.
Major freight railroads like CSX, Union Pacific, BNSF, Norfolk Southern, CPKC, and Canadian National have increasingly relied on longer trains to cut costs, reducing the need for crews and locomotives. Train lengths grew by approximately 25% from 2008 to 2017, and by the time the report was commissioned in 2021, some trains stretched close to 14,000 feet, or more than 2.5 miles.
Unions representing train crews have argued that these elongated trains are more challenging to manage, particularly on uneven terrain. A section of a mile-long train can be ascending while another section is descending, complicating control due to the push-and-pull dynamics. Additionally, the length can hinder radio communication between the front and back of the train.
“Anybody and everybody that’s in rail safety knows that this is a problem. It cannot be overstated,” said Jared Cassity, the top safety expert at the SMART-TD union representing conductors. “Long trains absolutely are a risk to the public and a risk to the workers and anybody with common sense can see that.”
Mark Wallace from the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen stated that Tuesday’s report corroborates what engineers have long known: long trains are more prone to derailments, face communication issues, and pose threats to public safety due to blocked crossings. The union called for swift action from Congress and regulators.
Railroads assert they prioritize safety regardless of train length. Ian Jefferies, president and CEO of the Association of American Railroads, stated that many railroads utilize software to model train forces before hooking railcars together. “As operations continue to evolve, railroads are pulling on three key levers — technology, training, and infrastructure — to further enhance safety and reliability,” Jefferies said.
However, Cassity pointed out that numerous derailments over the years have shown the imperfections of software and cruise control systems used by engineers.
Despite a consistent number of derailments—over 1,000 annually—even as rail traffic declined, railroads claim two-thirds of these incidents are minor. However, derailments have garnered heightened scrutiny since the catastrophic incident in East Palestine, Ohio, in February 2023. That Norfolk Southern train, which was more than 149 cars and 9,300 feet long, leaked hazardous chemicals that burned for days. The National Transportation Safety Board attributed the derailment to an overheated bearing missed by trackside sensors, not the train’s length.
The most pressing concern about long trains relates to derailments prompted by the forces that can rip a train apart as it traverses the countryside. Tuesday’s report urges Congress to ensure the Federal Railroad Administration has the power to address these dangers, and it recommends that the agency require careful planning from railroads in handling long trains.
Long trains can be made more manageable by placing locomotives in the middle and rear to assist in pulling and stopping, a common practice in the industry. The report also highlights the need for careful placement of heavy tank cars, empty cars, and specialized cars like those carrying automobiles with shock absorbers.
Union Pacific reported a decrease in mainline derailments over the past five years, attributing the improvement to technology that helps reduce variability and risk. The railroad invests billions annually in infrastructure maintenance. Other major freight railroads were not immediately available for comment on the report.
A Federal Railroad Administration spokesperson said the agency has encouraged railroads to adequately train employees to handle longer trains and to take additional safety measures. The agency is also working to collect more data on long trains to better assess their risks.
Besides derailment concerns, long trains often block crossings for extended times, potentially cutting off ambulance and police access to entire community sections. They can also delay Amtrak passenger trains stuck behind massive freight trains unable to fit within side tracks intended for passing.
The report urged Congress to empower federal regulators to penalize railroads for creating such problems.
