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The Federal Railroad Administration and Technology

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

FRA inspectors on the ground employ discretion to determine which cases are worthy of the lengthy and precise civil penalty process. This discretion helps ensure that the most serious violations of punishment are penalized.

Members of SMART-TD and their allies have made history in 2024 by pushing the FRA to allow two people in the locomotive cab of freight trains. The fight continues.

Safety

The Federal Railroad Administration implements a variety of safety measures to protect the health of its employees and public. It creates and enforces safety regulations for rail as well as manages funding for rail and studies strategies for improving rail infrastructure and technologies. It also formulates plans, implements and maintains an action plan to maintain the current rail infrastructure and services. It also expands and improves strategically the rail network across the nation. The department expects all railroad employers to abide by strict rules and regulations, and empower their employees and provide them with the tools to succeed and stay safe. This includes participation in the confidential close-call reporting system, establishing occupational health and safety committees that have full participation from unions and anti-retaliation safeguards, and providing employees with the necessary personal safety equipment.

FRA inspectors are on the front lines of enforcement of railway safety regulations and laws. They perform routine inspections on equipment and conduct investigations into hundreds of complaints. Anyone who is in violation of the rail safety laws could be subject to civil penalties. Safety inspectors at the agency have a wide discretion to determine whether a violation falls under the legal definition of an offense that is punishable by civil penalties. In addition, the Office of Chief Counsel's security division examines all reports submitted by regional offices to determine legality prior to assessing penalties. This discretion is exercised at the regional and field levels to ensure that civil penalties are only used in situations that warrant them.

A rail employee must be aware of the rules and regulations that govern his or her actions, and not knowingly violate those rules to commit a criminal offense that is punishable by a civil penalty. However, the agency does not take any person who follows a directive by a supervisor as having committed a willful violation. The agency defines "general railroad system" as the whole network that carries goods and passengers between metropolitan areas and cities. The trackage of a plant railroad at the steel mill isn't considered to be part of the overall transportation system by rail even being physically connected to it.

Regulation

The Federal Railroad Administration is responsible for establishing regulations for trains, such as those relating to safety and the movement of dangerous substances. The agency also manages financing for rail including loans and grants for infrastructure and improvements to service. The agency works with other DOT agencies as well as industry to develop strategies to improve the nation's rail system. This work includes maintaining existing rail infrastructure and services and addressing the need for new capacity, strategically expanding the network and coordinating national and regional systems planning and development.

Although the majority of the agency's activities are focused on freight transportation, it also manages the transportation of passengers. The agency is working to offer more options for passenger travel and connect people with the places they would like to go. The agency is focused on improving the passenger experience and improving the safety of the current fleet, and ensuring the rail network continues to operate efficiently.

Railroads must comply with many federal regulations, including those related to the size of the crews on trains. This is controversial in recent years, with some states passing legislation to require two-person crews on trains. This final rule codifies the minimum requirements for crew size at the federal level, making sure that all railroads are subject to the same safety standards.

This also requires every railroad that has a one-person train crew to inform FRA of the operation and submit an assessment of risk. This will allow FRA to identify the specifics of each operation and compare them to the normal two-person crew operation. This rule also alters the standard for reviewing an approval request that is a special case from determining whether an operation is "consistent" with railroad safety to determining if the operation is safer or safer than two-person crew operation.

During the public comment period for this rule, a lot of people backed the requirement for a two-person crew. In a form letter 29 people voiced their concerns that a single crewmember will not be capable of responding as quickly to incidents or train malfunctions at grade crossings or assist emergency personnel on the highway-rail level crossing. Commenters pointed out that human factor are responsible for more than half all railroad accidents. They believe that a larger crew could ensure the security of the train as well as its cargo.

Technology

Freight and passenger railroads employ a wide array of technologies to enhance efficiency, improve safety, boost security and more. Rail industry jargon includes a variety of unique terms and acronyms. Some of the most notable include machine vision systems (also known as drones), instrumented rail-inspection systems driverless trains, rolling data centers, and unmanned aerial vehicle (also known as drones).

Technology isn't just replacing some jobs; it's helping people to perform their jobs more effectively and safely. Passenger railroads are using smartphones and contactless fare payment cards to improve ridership and improve the efficiency of the system. Other innovations, like autonomous rail vehicles, are moving closer to becoming reality.

As part of its ongoing efforts to ensure safe, reliable and affordable transportation for the entire nation The Federal Railroad Administration is focused on modernizing its rail infrastructure. This is a multi-billion-dollar project that will see tunnels and bridges repaired tracks, power systems and tracks upgraded and stations rebuilt or upgraded. FRA's recently passed bipartisan infrastructure law will substantially grow the agency's rail improvement programs.

The Office of Research, Development and Technology of the agency is a key part of this initiative. The National Academies' recent review of the office revealed that it excelled in engaging, maintaining communications using inputs from a wide range of stakeholders. It must continue to consider how its research contributes towards the department's primary goal of ensuring the safety of people and goods via railways.

The agency could increase its efficiency by identifying and implementing automated train systems and technologies. The Association of American Railroads, the main freight rail industry industry organization that focuses on policy, research and standard setting, has established a Technical Advisory Group on Autonomous Train Operations to help develop industry standards to implement the technology.

The FRA is interested in the group's creation of a taxonomy for automated rail vehicles, a system that defines clearly and consistently different levels of automation. This could apply to both rail transit and on-road vehicles. The agency will also be looking to understand the level of risk to safety that the industry sees with the introduction of fully automated operation and whether or not the industry is considering additional security measures to reduce the risk.

Innovation

Railroads are using technology to improve worker safety, make business processes more efficient, and ensure that the freight that they transport arrives at its destination safely. These innovations range from sensors and cameras that monitor freight, to new railcar designs which keep hazardous cargo safe during transportation. Certain of these technologies allow railroads to send emergency responders to locations of accidents so they can swiftly reduce risks to property and people.

Positive Train Control (PTC) is one of the most significant innovations in rail. It is designed to prevent train-to-train accidents, situations when trains are in a position they shouldn't, and other incidents caused by human error. This system is made up of three parts of onboard locomotive systems that track the train; wayside networks that communicate with the locomotive and a huge server that collects and analyses data.

Railroads that transport passengers also use technology to enhance security and safety. For instance, Amtrak is experimenting with 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 make use of drones. They could be used to inspect bridges and other infrastructure or to replace the lights on railway towers that are hazardous for workers to climb.

Other technologies that could be utilized for passenger railroads include smart track technology, which is able to detect the presence of people or objects on the tracks and issue drivers with a warning if it's unsafe to proceed. These kinds of technology are especially beneficial in detecting unsafe crossings and other problems during off-hours, when traffic volumes are lowest and fewer people are around to witness an accident.

Another important technological advancement in the railway industry is telematics which allows shippers, railroads and other stakeholders to see a traincar's status and condition through real-time tracking. Crews and railcar operators can benefit from greater accountability and visibility which can help them to increase efficiency and avoid unnecessary maintenance. It will also help reduce delays when delivering freight.