Strengthening Rail Safety

​​​​​NTSB’s Strengthening Rail Safety campaign is a national effort to advance rail safety acros​​s the entire industry. 

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The goal of this campaign is to highlight rail safety enhancements driven by NTSB investigations, reports and safety research, and raise awareness for safety risks impacting the people working on and around rail operations and the traveling public.​​


​A strong rail system is more than tracks and trains.. It includes the people who operate and maintain it, the passengers who rely on it, the roadway users who interact with it, the communities through which trains travel, and the emergency responders who are called upon when tragedy strikes. ​​

NTSB believes that zero deaths and serious injuries on the nation’s rail transportation system is achievable by

  • Protecting Rail Workers.
  • Protecting Passengers.
  • Protecting Communities.
  • Protecting Road Users.

    • Strengthening Rail Safety is not the responsibility of any one organization. It requires commitment, accountability, and action from everyone connected to rail operations. A safer rail system benefits everyone, and the American people deserve a rail system that is safe, reliable, resilient, and worthy of their trust.

Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy and Board Member Tom Chapman held a press briefing Sept. 21, 2026 at Chicago Union Station to highlight actions needed to improve safety across the U.S. rail system. Watch it on NTSB YouTube:


NTSB Rail Investig​​​ations by State, 2010-2026



Updated Sept. 22, 2026  


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