Train accidents increase 15% over three years

The number of train accidents across the nation increased 15% over the past three years, which federal rail safety experts suspect is due to lax maintenance, reported the Detroit Free Press. Derailments caused by faulty tracks, suspected in last Thursday's Amtrak Auto Train derailment in Florida that claimed the lives of four and injured hundreds of others, are focusing increased attention on rail safety, said the paper. According to federal figures, 2001 saw the most train derailments nationwide (2,192) since 1985, when it was 2,495.