WHITE PAPER: Management of In-Train Forces – Challenges and Directions May 24, 2021 WHITE PAPER: Management of In-Train Forces – Challenges and Directions Written by Grady C. Cothen Jr., Federal Railroad Administration (ret.) Despite all of the excellent progress railroads have made in reducing train accident risk, derailments generally for the major railroads have been flat or slightly rising over the past several years, measured against volumes. I present this white paper (downloadable below) from the viewpoint of an observer and generalist, albeit one with more than 46 years of involvement in rail safety and policy issues, 36 years of which were “in the trenches” at the Federal Railroad Administration. The views and issues discussed should be tested against the seasoned judgments of qualified engineers, technologists, managers, line employees and data analysts. They are not native to any individual area of specialization. Only a dialogue involving transparency and rigor will yield clarifications and real progress.