Train Country

Investigating Railroad Safety in America

As powerful railroad companies race to maximize profits through efficiency, safety is left behind.

Impact of Our Reporting

How Norfolk Southern Is Addressing Blocked Train Crossings in Hammond, Indiana

by Topher Sanders

August 25, 2023, 5:00 am EDT

Blocked Crossings Crisis Draws Local and National Calls for Action

by Topher Sanders and Dan Schwartz

May 1, 2023, 5:00 am EDT

11 stories published since 2023

What’s Missing From Railroad Safety Data? Dead Workers and Severed Limbs.

by Topher Sanders, Dan Schwartz, Danelle Morton and Gabriel Sandoval

March 13, 2024, 5:00 am EDT
“It Looks Like the Railroad Is Asking for You to Say Thank You”

by Jessica Lussenhop and Topher Sanders

December 19, 2023, 6:00 am EST
When Railroad Workers Get Hurt on the Job, Some Supervisors Go to Extremes to Keep It Quiet

by Topher Sanders, Dan Schwartz, Danelle Morton, Gabriel Sandoval and Jessica Lussenhop

December 16, 2023, 5:00 am EST
Union Pacific Fired Him Rather Than Heed His Warnings of Dangerous Rail Conditions

by Danelle Morton and Topher Sanders, with additional reporting by Jessica Lussenhop

November 18, 2023, 5:00 am EST
“Do Your Job.” How the Railroad Industry Intimidates Employees Into Putting Speed Before Safety

by Topher Sanders, Jessica Lussenhop, Dan Schwartz, Danelle Morton and Gabriel Sandoval

November 15, 2023, 6:00 am EST
Regulators Blast Union Pacific for Running Unsafe Trains

by Topher Sanders

September 11, 2023, 12:30 pm EDT
As Rail Profits Soar, Blocked Crossings Force Kids to Crawl Under Trains to Get to School

by Topher Sanders and Dan Schwartz, ProPublica, and Joce Sterman, Gray Television/InvestigateTV; Video by Scotty Smith, Gray Television/InvestigateTV; Photography by Jamie Kelter Davis for ProPublica

April 26, 2023, 12:00 pm EDT
The True Dangers of Long Trains

by Dan Schwartz and Topher Sanders, with additional reporting by Gabriel Sandoval and Danelle Morton, graphics by Haisam Hussein

April 3, 2023, 6:00 am EDT
A Norfolk Southern Policy Lets Officials Order Crews to Ignore Safety Alerts

by Topher Sanders and Dan Schwartz

February 22, 2023, 9:47 pm EST