Rail inspection

The leading cause of railway accidents is attributed to human error. The contribution of poor management decisions to rail accidents caused by infrequent or inadequate rail inspections is significant, but is not reported by the FRA; only the NTSB reports it. Every year, North American railroads spend millions of dollars to inspect the rails for internal and external flaws. Nondestructive testing (NDT) methods are used as preventive measures to prevent track failures and potential derailments. The first rail inspections were done visually and with the Oil and Whiting Method (an early form of Liquid Penetrant Inspection). Many sources cite the need for better rail inspections as having arisen after a derailment in Manchester, New York, in 1911. That particular accident resulted in the death of 29 people and injuries to 60 others. The investigation of the accident revealed that the cause was a rail with a transverse fissure — a critical crack perpendicular to the rail's length.