News Rivers and railroads: When trains derail, water is often nearby. Blame decisions made 150 years ago. April 12, 2023April 13, 2023Trevor Hughes, USA TODAYComments Off on Rivers and railroads: When trains derail, water is often nearby. Blame decisions made 150 years ago. So many train derailments feature train cars spilling into or near waterways for a simple reason: That's where the tracks run.