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The Federal Railroad Administration and Technology

The Federal Railroad Administration creates and enforces rail safety regulations The Federal Railroad Administration also provides funding for rail and researches rail improvement strategies.

FRA field inspectors use discretion to decide on which cases are worthy of the precise and time-consuming civil penalty process. This allows them to ensure that the most serious violations are penalized.

SMART-TD members and allies have made history in 2024 by pushing the FRA to allow two people in the cabs of locomotives of freight trains. The fight is not over.

Safety

The Federal Railroad Administration implements a variety of safety measures to protect the health of its employees and public. It is responsible for developing and enforcing safety regulations for rail. It also oversees rail funding, and conducts research on improvements to rail strategies and technological developments. It also formulates and implements a strategy to ensure the current rail services, infrastructure and capacity, and strategically expands and improves the national rail network. The department expects all rail employers to adhere to the strictest rules and regulations, empower their employees and provide them with the tools to succeed and stay safe. This includes participating in the confidential close-call reporting system, setting up labor-management occupational safety and health committees with full-union participation and antiretaliation provisions and giving employees the necessary personal protective gear.

FRA inspectors are at the forefront of enforcement of the rail safety laws and regulations. They conduct routine inspections of equipment and investigate complaints from hundreds of people. Civil penalties are imposed on those who violate the rail safety laws. The agency's safety inspectors have a broad discretion on whether a particular violation meets the statutory definition of a criminal penalty-worthy act. Additionally the Office of Chief Counsel's safety division reviews all reports that are received from regional offices to determine their legality before determining penalties. This discretion is exercised both at the regional and field levels to ensure that civil penalties are only used when they are necessary.

Rail employees must be aware of rules and regulations that govern their actions and knowingly disregard those standards to commit a criminal offense that is punishable by a civil penalty. The agency does not consider that an individual who acts upon a directive from a supervisor has committed a willful offence. The agency defines "general railroad system" as the entire network that carries goods and passengers between cities and metropolitan areas. The trackage of a plant railroad within a steelmill is not considered to be part of the overall rail transportation system, even though it's physically connected.

Regulation

The Federal Railroad Administration is responsible for establishing train regulations that pertain to safety and the transportation of dangerous substances. The agency is responsible for managing rail finance, which includes loans and grants for service and infrastructure improvement. The agency collaborates with other DOT agencies and industry to devise strategies to improve the nation's rail infrastructure. This includes ensuring the existing rail infrastructure and services, addressing the need for capacity expansion, expanding the network strategically, and coordinating regional and national system's planning and development.

The agency is primarily responsible for freight transportation, but also manages passenger transportation. The agency aims to connect people to places they want and provide more alternatives for travel. The agency's primary focus is on enhancing the experience for passengers and enhancing the safety of the existing fleet, and ensuring that the rail network continues operating efficiently.

Railroads are required to comply with a variety of federal regulations, which include the ones pertaining to the size and composition of train crews. In recent times the issue has become a source of controversy. Certain states have passed legislation that requires two-person crews on trains. This final rule codifies federally the minimum crew size requirements, making sure that all railroads adhere to the same safety standards.





This also requires every railroad that has one-person train crews to notify FRA of the operation and submit an assessment of risk. This will enable FRA to compare the parameters of each operation with those of a two-person standard crew operation. This rule also changes the review standard of an approval request that is a special case from determining if an operation is "consistent" with railroad safety standards to determining whether the operation is as secure or safer than two-person crew operation.

During the public comment period for this rule, many people expressed support for the requirement of a two-person crew. In a letter to the editor 29 people voiced their concern that a single crewmember would not be capable of responding with the speed required to respond to train malfunctions or incidents at grade crossings, or assist emergency personnel on a highway-rail level crossing. The commenters noted that human factors account for more than half of railroad accidents and they think that a bigger crew would help ensure the safety of both the train and its cargo.

Technology

Trains for passenger and freight use a variety of technologies to increase efficiency, increase security, and improve safety. The rail industry lingo contains a myriad of specific terms and acronyms, but some of the more significant developments include machine vision systems, instrumentsed rail inspection systems, driverless trains rolling data centers and drones that are not piloted (commonly called drones).

Technology isn't only able to replace certain jobs. It empowers people to perform their jobs better and safer. Railroads for passengers use apps on smartphones and contactless fare cards to increase ridership and increase the efficiency of their system. Other innovations, like autonomous rail vehicles, are moving closer to reality.

As part of its ongoing effort to ensure safe, reliable and affordable transportation options for the country In its ongoing effort to ensure safe, reliable and affordable transportation for the nation, the Federal Railroad Administration is focused on modernizing its rail infrastructure. This multi-billion dollar project will see bridges, tunnels, tracks and power systems upgraded and stations being rebuilt or replaced. The recently passed bipartisan infrastructure law will significantly increase the agency's rail improvement programs.

The agency's Office of Research, Development and Technology is a central piece in this initiative. The National Academies' recent review of the office revealed that it excelled in engaging, maintaining communications with inputs from a variety of stakeholders. But employers’ liability act fela accidentinjurylawyers must focus more on how its research contributes to the department's primary objective of ensuring the safe movement of goods and people by railway.

One area in which the agency could be able improve its effectiveness is in identifying and supporting the development of automated train systems and technologies. The Association of American Railroads (AAR), the primary industry association for the freight rail industry that focuses on research policy, standard-setting and policy, established the Technical Advisory Group for Autonomous Train Operations to help develop standards within the industry.

FRA will be interested in the creation of an automated rail taxonomy, which is a standard that will clearly and consistently define different levels of automation that will be applicable to both on-road and rail transit vehicles. The agency will need to know the degree of risk the industry sees in fully automated operation, as well as whether the industry is considering any additional safeguards to minimize the risk.

Innovation

Rail companies are adopting technology to enhance worker safety, boost efficiency in business processes and ensure that the cargo they transport is delivered intact. These innovations range from sensors and cameras that monitor freight, to new railcar designs that help keep dangerous cargo safe during transportation. Some of these technologies even allow railroads to send emergency response personnel to areas of accidents so that they can swiftly reduce damage and reduce the risk to property and lives.

One of the most renowned innovations in rail is Positive Train Control (PTC), which will inhibit collisions between trains and trains, situations in which trains are on tracks they shouldn't be, as well as other accidents that are caused by human errors. The system is comprised of three parts consisting of locomotives onboard that track the train; wayside networks that communicate with the locomotive and a huge server that gathers and analyzes data.

Trains for passengers are also adopting technology to improve safety and security. For instance, Amtrak is experimenting with the use of drones to assist security staff in locating passengers and items on board trains in case in the event of an emergency. The company is also exploring ways to use drones. They could be used to inspect bridges and other infrastructures or to replace the lights on railway towers that are dangerous for workers to climb.

Other technologies that could be utilized for passenger railroads include smart track technology that can detect the presence of people or objects on the tracks and issue an alert to drivers when it's unsafe to proceed. These technologies are particularly effective in detecting unsafe crossings or other problems in the evenings when the traffic is lower and there are less witnesses to an accident.

Telematics is another important technological advancement in the rail industry. It allows railways, shippers and other stakeholders, to monitor a traincar in real-time. Railcar operators and crews can benefit from greater accountability and visibility which will allow them increase efficiency as well as avoid unnecessary maintenance and delay in the delivery of freight.