GEOHAZARDS AND RAILROADS

Numerous railroad accidents occur as a result of slope failures, floods, bridge collapses, ballast subsidence, and other earth-surface processes that result in injury or death. Such geohazards are generally not long tolerated for public highways. On private railroad rights of way, however, geohazards have continued with little mapping of hazard potential, insufficient record keeping of hazards or accidents, and too limited prevention, warning, remediation or control. As a result of historical exemptions of railroad companies from workmen’s compensation laws, considerable litigation has resulted for recompense in employee injuries, which has been treated by railroad companies as a simple cost of doing business. Proof of liability commonly requires hazard and accident reconstruction utilizing forensic techniques. Although of considerable benefit to the community of personal-injury lawyers and geohazard forensic consultants, the deficiency of just compensation from railroad companies to their injured employees, to nearby landowners with damages, or to injured passengers requires greater attention. Improved railroad safety and more comprehensive corporate responsibility can be effected through robust recommendations based upon sound geoscience. Formulation of a series of new guidelines for improved safety along railroad rights of way should be incorporated into government policy changes, as well as into procedures and regulations of the American Railway Engineering Association Manual.