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.