But except for those rare cases in which federal officials investigate a grade-crossing accident, the black box remains in the custody of the railroad.

In all, records show, CSX did not report 20 percent of its grade-crossing accidents in 2000.

While the hearing focused on recent accidents, its ostensible purpose was to discuss grade-crossing accidents.

Senators Graham and Schumer represent states where high-profile grade-crossing accidents occurred in the last year.

Their actions, according to the newspaper's seven-month investigation, included destroying evidence and failing to properly report hundreds of fatal grade-crossing accidents to federal authorities.

In Suffolk last year there were seven grade-crossing accidents resulting in four injuries and one fatality.

Five mill employees were killed last year in a grade-crossing accident about a tenth of a mile from the wreck on Thursday.

Their message, which they hawk through speakers' bureaus, pamphlets and crash demonstrations, is that grade-crossing accidents are almost entirely preventable.

Since 2000, about 1,600 people have been killed in grade-crossing accidents, more than twice the number killed in commercial plane crashes.

The industry has worked to keep the power to investigate grade-crossing accidents centered in Washington, where it has long been an influential force.