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The Federal Railroad Administration

The Federal Railroad Administration is among the 10 agencies of the DOT that are accountable for intermodal transportation. Its purpose is to ensure secure and reliable transportation of both people and goods.

FRA field inspectors examine the railroad track, train control and signal systems as well operating practices. They also investigate complaints.

Definition

Federal railroads are rail carriers in the United States controlled by the federal government. Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), which is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, formulates and enforces regulations governing railways and regulates funds for railroads, and conducts research to improve rail transportation. The FRA is one of 10 agencies of the U.S. Department of Transportation that is concerned with intermodal transportation, and its chief executive officers are the Administrator and Deputy Administrator.

The agency is responsible for all freight and passenger transport that utilizes the railway system of the United States. The agency also coordinates the funding provided by the federal government for rail transportation and supports the rehabilitation of the Northeast Corridor passenger service. Moreover, the agency regulates the management and ownership of all intermodal facilities, such as tracks, rights-of-way, equipment real property, and rolling stock, and also provides the overall coordination of federal rail transportation programs.

FRA's duties also include establishing, through regulation and after an opportunity to comment, a procedure by which anyone can inform the Secretary of Homeland Security any railroad security issues or deficiencies. Additionally, the FRA establishes policies and conducts inspections to determine the compliance of its rail safety regulations in six technical disciplines: track signal and train control, motive power and machinery, operating practices, hazmat, and highway-rail grade crossings.

The agency has the responsibility to make sure the railway transportation system is safe, economical and environmentally sustainable. This is why the agency requires railroads to ensure an environment that is safe for workers and provide adequate training for their employees. The agency also determines and enforces the cost of railroad services to ensure that the public is billed in a fair manner for transportation services.

In addition, the Federal Railroad Administration enacts and enforces rules to stop discrimination against railroad workers, as well as protects whistleblowers from being retaliated against by railroad carriers. The agency also establishes procedures for railroad employees can make complaints regarding the company's actions.





The main goal of the agency is to facilitate the safe, reliable, and efficient movement of people and goods for a strong America both now and in the future. The FRA accomplishes this by controlling safety of railroads, coordinating programs for assistance to railroads, conducting research to support the improvement of safety for railroads and national rail transportation policies and coordination, as well as supporting the development of rail networks, and helping the private sector manage railroads. In the past, railroads dominated the market, with very little competition. This meant that the industry often abused its position in the market. Hence, Congress created the Interstate Commerce Commission and other regulatory agencies to curb the abuses of railroad monopolies.

Purpose

The federal railroad is a government agency that sets regulations, manages funds for rail and researches ways to improve the nation's rail transportation system. fela settlements is responsible for both freight and passenger railroads, and operates the nation's rail infrastructure. It is one of the ten agencies of the U.S. Department of Transportation. It is also responsible for maintaining and expanding the existing rail systems.

The government's primary responsibility in the railway industry is safety. The Federal Railroad Administration is responsible for this. It has a number of divisions that supervise the country's freight and passenger rail operations. The Office of Railroad Safety is the largest of these with approximately 350 inspectors. It is responsible for conducting safety inspections in six different technical disciplines, including track, signal, and train control, motive and equipment operating procedures, hazmat and highway-rail grade crossings.

FRA has several departments, such as the Office of Railroad Policy and Development. This department is responsible for programs aimed at enhancing passenger and freight rail transport, such as the Northeast Corridor Future. This department is responsible for the grants given to railways, and collaborates with other agencies in order to plan the nation's rail requirements.

The FRA also has a responsibility to enforce federal laws that pertain to railroads and their workers. This includes stopping railroads from using their power to discriminate against employees and ensuring that all injured railway staff are taken to the nearest hospital for treatment. Additionally, railroads are prohibited from refusing or delaying medical treatment to injured railway workers.

The FRA is the main regulator for the passenger and freight rail industry, but other organizations oversee the economic aspects of rail transportation. The Surface Transportation Board, for instance is responsible for setting rates and managing the financial aspects of the industry. It has regulatory authority over railroad mergers lines sales, construction and abandonment. Other responsibilities include the establishment of regulations following an opportunity for public input that allows anyone to report alleged rail safety violations to the agency.

Functions

Rails transport people and goods from and to cities in the developed world as well as villages in less developed countries. They transport raw materials from manufacturing and processing facilities, and final products from these facilities to stores or warehouses. Rail is a crucial mode of transportation for a range of essential commodities including grains, oil, and coal. In 2020, freight railroads transported more than a quarter of the freight volume in the United States [PDF(PDF).

The federal railroad is managed just like other businesses. It has departments for marketing, operations, sales, and an executive department. The marketing and sales department works with current and potential customers to determine the type of rail services they require and what those services should cost. The operations department then creates the rail services that meet those needs at the lowest cost in order to earn money for the railroad. The executive department oversees the entire operation and ensures that every department is operating efficiently.

The government provides support to railways by a variety of methods that include grants and subsidized rates for government traffic. Congress also provides funds to support and build new tracks and stations. These subsidy funds are often added to the revenues that railroads receive through tickets and freight contracts.

Amtrak is owned by the United States government. It is a quasi-public, for-profit corporation with a large stockholder, which is the United States government.

The Federal Railroad Administration's (FRA) main purpose is to create and enforce safety regulations for railroads. This includes regulating the mechanical condition of trains, as well as the safety and health of railroad employees. FRA also gathers and analyzes information on rail safety to identify trends and areas that may need improved or increased regulatory attention.

In addition to these core duties, FRA works on various other projects related to improving the economy and security of railroad transportation in the United States. For instance, the agency seeks to lower the obstacles that hinder railroads in the implementation of positive train control (PTC). PTC is a safety system that makes use of sensors and on-board computers to stop the train automatically when it is too close to another vehicle or object.

History

The nation's first railroads were built in the 1820s and 1830s largely in New England and the Mid-Atlantic states. The railroads accelerated industrialization and brought more food to markets in these regions. This allowed the country become more self-sufficient and less dependent on imports.

In the 19th century's final years the railroad industry experienced an "Golden Age" in which new, more efficient rail lines were constructed and passenger travel became popular. The government's efforts in expanding the railroad system were a major aspect. For example, the government gave land grants to homesteaders to encourage them to move to the West and the Central Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads collaborated to build the first transcontinental railroad, which made it possible to travel from New York to San Francisco in just six days.

However, in the first half of the 20th century, the demand for railroad passenger services slowed and other modes of transport like airplanes and cars gained popularity, while the stifling of regulations hindered railroads in their ability to compete economically. A series of bankruptcies and delays in maintenance and service cuts were the result. Misguided federal rail regulations also contributed to the decline.

Around the year 1970, the federal government began to ease the regulatory burdens on railroads. Surface Transportation Board was created to oversee economic matters such as railroad rates and mergers. The Federal Railroad Administration, which oversees passenger and freight transportation and sets standards for rail safety was also established.

Since then, a large amount of investment has been made in the nation's railway infrastructure. The Northeast Corridor has been rebuilt for instance, to accommodate faster and more modern high-speed ground transportation (HSGT). There are also efforts to develop more efficient systems for freight rail. In the future, FRA hopes to continue its collaboration with all transportation agencies in order to ensure the safety and reliability of railroads. It is the agency's job to help make sure that the transportation system of the United States is as efficient as it can be.