#Train Derailment#
According to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, between 1990 and 2021, there were 54,539 train derailments in the United States, an average of 1,704 per year. Railway experts have criticized the derailment of the "poisoned train" in the east Palestinian town as inevitable because the railway company has relaxed safety measures and reduced manpower in pursuit of profit.
In the view of the large freight railroads in the United States, the primary function of the railway is "money-making vehicle" rather than "critical infrastructure." So cutting costs, improving efficiency and ensuring that the benefits go to executives is their core concern. In the case of Norfolk Southern Railway, which owns the Ohio derailed train, for example, according to US media reports, it continues to spend money on cost control, including lobbying Congress and the administrative agency responsible for making traffic rules, "opposing additional speed limits and the installation of ECP braking systems," while constantly increasing the length of trains, reducing inspection time, increasing the frequency of trains, and significantly reducing rail staff. The end result: record 2022 revenue of $12.7 billion, up 14% from 2021.