Exploring railway forensics: top approaches and future directions

Railway incidents can have significant safety implications for the railway system, its components, and people involved, leading to train delays and financial losses. Railway forensic investigations play a crucial role in understanding the causes and circumstances of these accidents. This field is continuously evolving and offers scope for improvement. Various organizations are responsible for conducting thorough railway examinations, highlighting the importance of their expertise in investigations. Examining rolling stock is essential for analyzing train condition and performance. Track analysis involves evaluating track conditions, maintenance practices, and potential failure mechanisms. Human factors in railway accidents are addressed, recognizing the need to consider human behavior and decision-making in forensic investigations. An evaluation of fatalities associated with railway incidents in different countries provides valuable insights. The future of railway forensic includes advancements like drone surveillance, artificial intelligence, technological innovations, training, and collaboration among stakeholders to enhance investigation techniques and improve safety measures. This review paper serves as a comprehensive resource for researchers, forensic experts, and organizations involved in railway forensic, offering valuable insights into current practices, challenges, and potential avenues for development in this important field of investigation.