The following is a transcript of a report by Team 4 investigator Paul Van Osdol that first aired on WTAE Channel 4 Action News on Oct. 21, 2006.

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A train derailment on Friday night was not the first for Norfolk Southern in Beaver County.

Norfolk Southern says it is the safest major railroad in North America, but federal safety records show a Norfolk Southern train derails nearly every day, and the railroad has more derailments in Pennsylvania than any other state.

Federal safety records show Norfolk Southern has had 830 derailments since 2003, costing a total of $62 million.

Of those derailments, 156 occurred in Pennsylvania -- the most of any state -- and 25 of them were in Beaver County -- the most of any county in the state.

In September 2004, Sky 4 was over the scene of a derailment in Conway, Beaver County, where six rail cars tumbled over a hillside.

In January 2005, dozens of people in East Deer Township were forced to flee their homes after a derailment that caused a cloud of toxic gas to leak into the air.

Last June, a Norfolk Southern train allegedly speeding down a hillside derailed in McKean County, dumping $42,000 gallons of lye into a pristine fishing creek. The state has fined the company $8.9 million, and the company is appealing the fine.

Investigators have found the most common cause of Norfolk Southern derailments to be defective or missing railroad crossties or an improperly lined switch.

Despite the derailment history, Norfolk Southern spokesman Rudy Husband says, "Safety is our number one priority. Norfolk Southern has been determined to be the safest class 1 railroad in North America for 17 years running."

Records show Norfolk Southern was responsible for 44 percent -- or nearly half -- of all derailments in Pennsylvania the past three years. CSX is next with 14 percent.

Pennsylvania is a major rail corridor for Norfolk Southern.