For almost half a century, railroads have been the slighted child of the nation's transportation network, back-seated by a coast-to-coast interstate road system and commercial jet service. Very little attention has been paid to railroads, despite the fact that they remain the transportation lifeblood for many industries across the country.

Last month's awful train collision in Graniteville may have opened some eyes. A moving train hit a parked train and released a plume of chloric gas on unsuspecting residents. It was the nation's worst chemical spill since 1978. Nine people died and 550 were injured, while some 5,400 residents were evacuated for several days. Most experts say electronic switching devices, rather than the manual switches still in use, might have prevented the wreck.

If nothing else, the Graniteville crash got the attention of Sen. Lindsey Graham. The S.C. Republican is co-sponsoring, with New York's Sen. Charles Schumer, a bill that would begin to make long-neglected safety upgrades to the rail system. The bill would authorize Congress to release money to states to improve safety at hazardous crossings.

For most people, rail service is only an afterthought. It should not be. In the past five years, 87 South Carolinians have lost their lives to rail crashes. In the same period, 4,689 people died nationwide. So it is not a laughing matter.

Graham could not put a price tag on his bill, but he acknowledged that reforms will be expensive. That should come as no surprise. Our railway system is outdated, much of it running on a technology that is decades old. The demise of passenger service, save for limited Amtrak runs, has diverted all sense of urgency from making railroads safe. Many tracks and switching stations are worn and vulnerable.

The nation has an obligation to make sure railroads get the same attention as other forms of transportation. Just like roadways and airways, it is incumbent upon Congress to make sure the railways are safe.

Don't make us wait for one more Graniteville.