Causal Analysis of Passenger Train Accidents on Freight Rail Corridors

A number of economic, technical and political factors have limited the development of new, dedicated, very-high-speed rail systems in North America. Consequently, most, near-term development of improved or expanded passenger rail service in the U.S. will involve use of existing railroad infrastructure or rights of way. Comprehensive understanding of train accidents on shared-use corridors is critical for rational allocation of resources to reduce train accident risk. Nevertheless, little research has been undertaken to quantify the risk of a passenger train operating on or next to a freight train in a shared track or shared-use corridor setting. The research described in this paper presents the initial results of a study intended to understand what the most important contributors to the risk of train accidents on shared-used rail corridors are. This work can be used to better understand how to most efficiently and effectively manage the risk on shared-use rail corridors. Although developed in the context of the railroad operation in the U.S., this research can also be applied to other countries by adapting to their safety standards and risk management strategies.