Rail inspection is the practice of examining rail tracks for flaws that could lead to catastrophic failures. According to the United States Federal Railroad Administration Office of Safety Analysis,[1] track defects are the second leading cause of accidents on railways in the United States. The leading cause of railway accidents is attributed to human error. The contribution of poor management decisions to rail accidents caused by infrequent or inadequate rail inspection is significant but not reported by the FRA, only the NTSB. Every year, North American railroads spend millions of dollars to inspect the rails for internal and external flaws. Nondestructive testing (NDT) methods are used as a preventative measures against track failures and possible derailment.

With increased rail traffic carrying heavier loads at higher speeds, a quicker more efficient way of inspecting railways is needed. Lasers inspect railway geometry, but one day they might be an utilized as a form of non-contact evaluation of the rail. This most likely will be done with laser-optical transmitting transducers in ultrasonic testing. Eliminating contact with the rail could one day allow high speed detection of flaws. Another need for the future is a complete rail inspection system. A step in this direction is deeper investigation of the rail by using low frequency eddy currents. Other advancements could include neural network analysis of signals to improve defect detection and identification and longitudinal guided ultrasonics. Improved rail quality, composition, and joining techniques could lead to better wear characteristics and a longer lifespan of the rail. Some investigation into banitic steels looks promising. A safe and portable means of filmless radiography could assist with onsite defect evaluation. These are just a few advancements in the process of being developed for future use.