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U.S. railroads made significant safety strides during 2002's first third, according to preliminary railroad safety statistics recently released by Federal Railroad Administration.


Between January and April, 636 reporting U.S. railroads totaled 4,388 accidents and incidents, dropping 19.6 percent compared with 5,461 accidents/incidents reported by 664 railroads during the same 2001 period.


Non-fatal injuries also dropped dramatically (24 percent) — 2,863 reported between January and April compared with 3,772 during the same period last year. Fatalities decreased slightly (1 percent) from 293 to 290.


Meanwhile, train accidents plunged 24.1 percent from 1,025 during 2001's first third to 826 this year, and highway-rail incidents declined 11.3 percent from 1,108 to 983.


However, the data revealed two black clouds for U.S. roads: Fatalities caused by train accidents rose 250 percent from two in 2001's first third to seven this year, and trespasser fatalities climbed 22.8 percent from 140 to 172.