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Short Line Safety Institute: 2025 Systematic Review

Document Series:
Research Results
Author:
  • Federal Railroad Administration
Report Number
RR 26-04
Office
RDI-20
Subject:
Short Line Railroads
Keywords:
short line railroads, regional railroads, safety culture assessment, safety culture measurement, state of rail industry
Report Number
RR 26-04
Office
RDI-20
Document
SLSI 2025_final-A.pdf (321.01 KB)

SLSI conducts an annual analysis to assess the status of safety culture in the targeted railroads. This report summarizes findings from a systematic review of the 18 SLSI Safety Culture Assessment (SCA) Reports created in 2025 and discusses trends in industry strengths and opportunities for improvement related to safety culture practices. These strengths (e.g., employees feel comfortable communicating safety-related issues/concerns to management) and Opportunities for Improvement (“Opportunities,” e.g., employees express a desire for more recognition of safe work practices in the field) indicate the status of safety culture in the railroad industry. Lastly, this report introduces new ways SLSI can continue to serve the industry.


Last updated: Tuesday, August 4, 2026