Decoding rail derailments: Unraveling the weighted factors influencing safety and sustainability using the best-worst method

The rail network is essential for sustainable transportation, offering various advantages such as reduced greenhouse gas emissions and congestion relief. However, ensuring safety within the rail network is crucial for its long-term viability and public acceptance. Derailment incidents have significant implications for safety, efficiency, and sustainability. This study employs the Best-Worst Method (BWM) to identify and weigh the parameters affecting derailment incidents. The research methodology involved conducting an extensive literature review to extract influential parameters, which were subsequently classified. Additionally, a rigorous data collection process was undertaken to ensure the reliability of the findings. The BWM was then applied, utilizing the expertise of five carefully selected domain experts who met specific selection criteria based on their experience and reputation in the field of railway safety. This expert panel provided valuable insights to determine the relative importance of the identified parameters. The calculated weights revealed the criticality of factors such as fractures in railway lines, illegal rail width, unauthorized locomotive speed, and defects in wagon wheels. Conversely, falling cargo train parts, improper load distribution, and subsidence of the railway line had relatively lesser influence. The results of this study offer valuable information for decision-makers and stakeholders in the rail industry, facilitating resource allocation and the implementation of targeted strategies to enhance rail safety.