ProPublica has been reporting on railroad safety for more than a year. We recently published investigations on the safety issues posed by longer trains and blocked railroad crossings. Now, we’re investigating the challenges that confront railroad employees who are injured on the job, railroaders who report a safety concern and the pressure on managers to reduce reports of unsafe conditions and injury numbers. We’ve heard from many railroad employees that being injured or reporting a safety concern can be fraught with consequences. We’re taking those concerns seriously and working on several stories that will investigate these themes.
To do this right, we need to hear from as many people who work in the system as possible. This means railroaders in all positions, managers and people familiar with the Federal Railroad Administration.