Flightless Bird Train Crashes
Mar 17, 2026
A deep dive into why train derailments and crossings keep injuring and killing people. Conversations about how crashes are reconstructed for court and the legal tactics railroads use. Examination of common causes like sightlines, vegetation, and systemic pressure on engineers. Discussion of technology fixes such as gates, lights, and positive train control.
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Scale Of Train Derailments And Collisions
- The US sees about 1,300 train derailments a year and nearly 2,000 collisions with vehicles last year, revealing a large systemic safety issue.
- David Farrier frames this as a regulatory gap after 1970s deregulation concentrated rail power in six companies overseen weakly by the Federal Railroad Administration.
Lawyer's Decade Representing Train Victims
- Caroline worked for a plaintiffs' firm specializing in people hit by freight trains and describes relentless litigation against railroads that put profits over safety.
- She says railroads refuse to install protective devices widely and her team 'battle Goliath every day.'
Survivors With Devastating Injuries After Crossing Crash
- Caroline recounts a crash where five passengers survived a car-train collision but three suffered traumatic brain injuries and two have PTSD.
- The car looked unsurvivable after impact, illustrating the catastrophic forces at crossings.