Breaking: Trains Collide In Switzerland, At Least 30 Injured

Spain, Italy , now Switzerland.

Not train - or was there also a train wreck there?!?

Panickec for a second. Except for my husband's younger brother and a few cousins - his family is all in Italy.

that this could be drummed into stupid shit talking points against adding more public transit in the U.S. which is WOEFULLY behind the curve in this regard.

Anything from reduced maintenance on tracks, sensors, and vehicles, or added stress distracting the operators and support staff due of benefits or pay cuts.

Driving a train is high stress - you really need to concentrate and all your equipment, the tracks, and all the signaling/sensor devices need to be in top operating condition, because while an 18-wheeler truck or large bus crashing on the highway can cause equally horrific damage and death, it doesn't impact the overall infrastructure of that particular transportation system the way a train crash impacts on the rail system. The reason why there have been few horrific train crashes/derailments over the past 70 years or so is that rail operations have been so heavily regulated and overseen until very recently.

Haele

Neglected infrastructure, staff cutbacks, aging machines, high stress, etc... yes, I would think it all factors in.
Very good points, Haele.