My theory is that it's the renaissance of passenger trains that's at least partially responsible. They're specifically made to run smoother and they're much lighter than freight trains. These two factors mean they run quieter, which means less warning for someone who's walking on the tracks.
If you're on the train tracks and you don't hear a train moving at 60 MPH until it's a half-mile away, you're in
imminent mortal danger. You've got 30 seconds or less to take action to save your own life, which means getting the fuck
off the train tracks.
And when I say off the tracks, I mean
completely off the tracks. Don't step to the other track, because I know of at least two instances in Fairfax County where someone stepped off one track and was struck on the other.