← Off the Rails · Compare

Two Roads,
Head to Head

Pick a railroad for each column. Every bar is drawn to the same scale across all sixteen roads, so the lengths compare straight across the gutter. Each card also flags itself against the sixteen-road average.

Union Pacific

Class I · Union Pacific Railroad Company

Reportable accidents
33,039 above avg
Hazmat cars released
434 above avg
Persons killed
588 above avg
Persons injured
4,162 above avg
Reported damage
$4.0B above avg

BNSF Railway

Class I · BNSF Railway Company

Reportable accidents
17,037 above avg
Hazmat cars released
329 above avg
Persons killed
328 above avg
Persons injured
2,448 above avg
Reported damage
$2.8B above avg

CSX Transportation

Class I · CSX Transportation

Reportable accidents
14,605 above avg
Hazmat cars released
310 above avg
Persons killed
345 above avg
Persons injured
3,163 above avg
Reported damage
$1.5B above avg

Burlington Northern

Class I · Burlington Northern Railroad Company

Reportable accidents
13,414 above avg
Hazmat cars released
155 above avg
Persons killed
214 above avg
Persons injured
1,912 below avg
Reported damage
$842M above avg

Conrail

Class I · Conrail

Reportable accidents
12,897 above avg
Hazmat cars released
203 above avg
Persons killed
165 below avg
Persons injured
3,107 above avg
Reported damage
$446M below avg

Norfolk Southern

Class I · Norfolk Southern Railway Company

Reportable accidents
9,711 above avg
Hazmat cars released
216 above avg
Persons killed
140 below avg
Persons injured
1,660 below avg
Reported damage
$925M above avg

Southern Pacific

Class I · Southern Pacific Transportation Company

Reportable accidents
8,957 below avg
Hazmat cars released
189 above avg
Persons killed
194 below avg
Persons injured
1,406 below avg
Reported damage
$447M below avg

Chicago & North Western

Class I · Chicago And North Western Railway Company

Reportable accidents
7,760 below avg
Hazmat cars released
36 below avg
Persons killed
29 below avg
Persons injured
419 below avg
Reported damage
$209M below avg

Amtrak

Passenger · Amtrak (National Railroad Passenger Corporation)

Reportable accidents
5,830 below avg
Hazmat cars released
0 below avg
Persons killed
773 above avg
Persons injured
9,052 above avg
Reported damage
$753M below avg

Santa Fe (ATSF)

Class I · Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company

Reportable accidents
5,434 below avg
Hazmat cars released
136 below avg
Persons killed
143 below avg
Persons injured
754 below avg
Reported damage
$339M below avg

Illinois Central Gulf

Class I · Illinois Central Gulf Railroad Company

Reportable accidents
4,349 below avg
Hazmat cars released
150 below avg
Persons killed
56 below avg
Persons injured
1,981 below avg
Reported damage
$168M below avg

Louisville & Nashville

Class I · Louisville And Nashville Railroad Company

Reportable accidents
4,154 below avg
Hazmat cars released
102 below avg
Persons killed
54 below avg
Persons injured
364 below avg
Reported damage
$124M below avg

Milwaukee Road

Class I · Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad

Reportable accidents
4,145 below avg
Hazmat cars released
14 below avg
Persons killed
21 below avg
Persons injured
280 below avg
Reported damage
$122M below avg

Kansas City Southern

Class I · Kansas City Southern Railway Company

Reportable accidents
3,495 below avg
Hazmat cars released
35 below avg
Persons killed
43 below avg
Persons injured
375 below avg
Reported damage
$274M below avg

Soo Line

Class I · SOO Line Railroad Company

Reportable accidents
3,485 below avg
Hazmat cars released
43 below avg
Persons killed
27 below avg
Persons injured
363 below avg
Reported damage
$194M below avg

Seaboard Coast Line

Class I · Seaboard Coast Line Railroad

Reportable accidents
3,345 below avg
Hazmat cars released
70 below avg
Persons killed
54 below avg
Persons injured
524 below avg
Reported damage
$94M below avg

Union Pacific

Class I · Union Pacific Railroad Company

Reportable accidents
33,039 above avg
Hazmat cars released
434 above avg
Persons killed
588 above avg
Persons injured
4,162 above avg
Reported damage
$4.0B above avg

BNSF Railway

Class I · BNSF Railway Company

Reportable accidents
17,037 above avg
Hazmat cars released
329 above avg
Persons killed
328 above avg
Persons injured
2,448 above avg
Reported damage
$2.8B above avg

CSX Transportation

Class I · CSX Transportation

Reportable accidents
14,605 above avg
Hazmat cars released
310 above avg
Persons killed
345 above avg
Persons injured
3,163 above avg
Reported damage
$1.5B above avg

Burlington Northern

Class I · Burlington Northern Railroad Company

Reportable accidents
13,414 above avg
Hazmat cars released
155 above avg
Persons killed
214 above avg
Persons injured
1,912 below avg
Reported damage
$842M above avg

Conrail

Class I · Conrail

Reportable accidents
12,897 above avg
Hazmat cars released
203 above avg
Persons killed
165 below avg
Persons injured
3,107 above avg
Reported damage
$446M below avg

Norfolk Southern

Class I · Norfolk Southern Railway Company

Reportable accidents
9,711 above avg
Hazmat cars released
216 above avg
Persons killed
140 below avg
Persons injured
1,660 below avg
Reported damage
$925M above avg

Southern Pacific

Class I · Southern Pacific Transportation Company

Reportable accidents
8,957 below avg
Hazmat cars released
189 above avg
Persons killed
194 below avg
Persons injured
1,406 below avg
Reported damage
$447M below avg

Chicago & North Western

Class I · Chicago And North Western Railway Company

Reportable accidents
7,760 below avg
Hazmat cars released
36 below avg
Persons killed
29 below avg
Persons injured
419 below avg
Reported damage
$209M below avg

Amtrak

Passenger · Amtrak (National Railroad Passenger Corporation)

Reportable accidents
5,830 below avg
Hazmat cars released
0 below avg
Persons killed
773 above avg
Persons injured
9,052 above avg
Reported damage
$753M below avg

Santa Fe (ATSF)

Class I · Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company

Reportable accidents
5,434 below avg
Hazmat cars released
136 below avg
Persons killed
143 below avg
Persons injured
754 below avg
Reported damage
$339M below avg

Illinois Central Gulf

Class I · Illinois Central Gulf Railroad Company

Reportable accidents
4,349 below avg
Hazmat cars released
150 below avg
Persons killed
56 below avg
Persons injured
1,981 below avg
Reported damage
$168M below avg

Louisville & Nashville

Class I · Louisville And Nashville Railroad Company

Reportable accidents
4,154 below avg
Hazmat cars released
102 below avg
Persons killed
54 below avg
Persons injured
364 below avg
Reported damage
$124M below avg

Milwaukee Road

Class I · Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad

Reportable accidents
4,145 below avg
Hazmat cars released
14 below avg
Persons killed
21 below avg
Persons injured
280 below avg
Reported damage
$122M below avg

Kansas City Southern

Class I · Kansas City Southern Railway Company

Reportable accidents
3,495 below avg
Hazmat cars released
35 below avg
Persons killed
43 below avg
Persons injured
375 below avg
Reported damage
$274M below avg

Soo Line

Class I · SOO Line Railroad Company

Reportable accidents
3,485 below avg
Hazmat cars released
43 below avg
Persons killed
27 below avg
Persons injured
363 below avg
Reported damage
$194M below avg

Seaboard Coast Line

Class I · Seaboard Coast Line Railroad

Reportable accidents
3,345 below avg
Hazmat cars released
70 below avg
Persons killed
54 below avg
Persons injured
524 below avg
Reported damage
$94M below avg

Bars share one scale per metric across all sixteen roads, so a longer bar is genuinely a larger figure - the visual comparison is honest with no client JavaScript. The "above / below avg" flag is each road against the sixteen-road mean, computed at build time. Figures cover 1975-2026 and are badged Illustrative (see the home page's Method note).