OBJECTIVE: In this study aiming to discuss the data of deaths occurring on the railways by evaluating the relationship between the severities of the traumatic changes and to determine the origin of the event according to the findings of trauma. METHODS: Suicidal or accidental origin deaths on the railways caused by severe trauma are encountered in the forensic autopsy series even though they are not frequent. 114 railway deaths detected in the forensic autopsies performed in Istanbul between 2005 and 2011 were investigated retrospectively. RESULTS: The cases comprised 0,39% of all autopsies, 85,1% (n=97) of the cases were males and 14,9% (n=17) of them were females. The mean age was 38,32±19,35 years in these deaths and the most common origin was determined to be accident (80,7%). The accidental origin is followed by suicidal origin with a rate of 10,5%. Multiple traumas to the body were determined in all of the cases except 2 cases with electrical current origin. Isolated amputation of upper extremity, isolated amputation of lower extremity, combined amputation and decapitation were observed in 6,1% (n=7), 11,4% (n=13), 5,3% (n=6) and 5,4% (n=5) of the cases, respectively. Great vessel injury was determined in 51,8% of the cases.CONCLUSION: When the relationship between the distribution of traumatic findings and the nature of the event was evaluated; while cerebral bleeding was the leading finding in the deaths due to fall from train, findings of multiple trauma to the body were observed much more in the suicide cases.