Unfortunately, train derailments are becoming fairly common occurrences. Recently, outside of Philadelphia, a passenger train derailed leaving six people dead and another 140 injured.

1. Our Aging Railway System

2. Unfortunately, train derailments are
becoming fairly common occurrences.

3. Recently, outside of Philadelphia, a
passenger train derailed leaving six people
dead and another 140 injured.

4. Although officials have not finished their
investigation into the crash, early reports
indicate that the most likely cause was either
a broken rail or a loose weld.

5. These are the two most common causes of
train derailments and account for more than
15 percent of all train derailments according
to the Federal Railroad Administration.

6. In the last ten years there have been over
100,000 reported railroad incidents and
accidents across the U.

7. S railway system and this number is
expected to grow due to the aging tracks,
crossings and bridges that these trains use
on a daily basis.

8. All of this is occurring at the same time that
ridership of trains is steadily increasing.

9. In 2014, Amtrak reported record ticket
revenues and record ridership across its
system.

10. More riders on an aging system is a recipe
for continued disasters to occur, so what is
being done about it.

11. The Federal Government Must Play A Large
Role In Improving Our Aging Railway System

12. The federal government has long played a
critical part in funding our railway system as
part of its overall transportation program.

13. Recently, however, the transportation
House Appropriations Committee voted to
institute funding cuts for Amtrak to the tune
of $300 million dollars.

14. The members of the house committee see this as
a type of tough love towards Amtrak, which they
hope will force Amtrak to innovate and begin to
take more financial responsibility for the rail
system that they use to transport their paying
customers.

15. Our Aging Railway System Gets A Grade

16. In 2013, the American Society of Civil
Engineers gave the U. S rail system a grade
of "C plus" on its national infrastructure
report card.

17. This they noted is
actually an
improvement over
past grades as the
U.S.

18. government and the railroads combined
have put considerable resources in recent
years into improving railroad tunnels, tracks
and bridges.

19. Since 2009 both freight and passenger
railroad companies themselves have
invested more than $75 billion dollars into
these types of infrastructure improvements.

20. The American Public Transportation Association,
after studying the issue of our aging railway
system, has recommended that the federal
government spend $50 billion dollars over the
next six years in order to do their part in
improving our U.S.

21. railway system, in
order to make it as safe
and reliable as possible
for both freight and
passenger traffic.

22. Most of goods that we consume spend some
time moving via rail and more people are
using rail than ever before for their own
personal transportation.

23. Making sure that our aging railway system is
up to the task must be a priority and will
require the continued efforts of the federal
government and the railway companies
themselves in order to succeed.