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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 conducts research on strategies to improve rail infrastructure.

FRA field inspectors use discretion to determine which cases warrant the exact and lengthy civil penalty process. This allows them to ensure that the most serious violations are penalized.

SMART-TD and its allies made history in 2024 when they convinced the FRA that two people should be in the cabs of freight trains. The fight is not over.

Safety

The Federal Railroad Administration implements a number of safety measures to safeguard the health of employees as well as the public. It is responsible for establishing and enforcing regulations for rail safety. It also manages rail funding and conducts research on improvements to rail strategies and technological developments. It also creates and implements a plan to maintain current infrastructure, services, and capacity and strategically expands and improves the nation's rail network. The department requires that all rail companies adhere to strict regulations and empower their employees, and provide them with the tools to ensure their safety and success. This includes taking part in the confidential close-call reporting system, setting up labor-management occupational health and safety committees with full union participation and anti-retaliation protections and providing employees with personal protection equipment.

FRA inspectors are on the front lines of enforcement of rail safety regulations and laws. They conduct routine inspections of equipment and investigate complaints from hundreds of people. Civil penalties are applied to those who break railroad safety laws. The agency's safety inspectors have a broad discretion on whether a particular violation meets the statutory description of a criminal penalty-worthy act. In addition the Office of Chief Counsel's safety division reviews all reports that are received from regional offices to determine their legal sufficiency before assessing penalties. The exercise of this discretion at both the field and regional levels ensures that the lengthy, time-consuming civil penalty process is utilized only in those situations that are truly deserving of the effect of a civil penalty.

To be convicted of a civil offense, a rail employee must know the rules and regulations governing the conduct of his or her employees. They also must be aware that they not adhere to these rules. The agency doesn't consider that an individual who acts on a supervisor's directive is guilty of committing a willful crime. The agency defines "general railroad system" as the entire system that carries goods and passengers within and between metropolitan areas and cities. The trackage of a plant railroad at the steel mill isn't considered to be part of the general transportation system by rail, even though it is physically connected to it.

Regulation

The Federal Railroad Administration sets train regulations, ranging from those related to safety and movement of hazardous materials. The agency oversees railway finance, including grants and loan for infrastructure and service improvement. The agency works with other DOT agencies as well as industry to develop strategies for improving the nation's rail infrastructure. This includes maintaining current rail infrastructure and services, making sure that there is enough capacity, strategically expanding the network, as well as coordinating regional and national systems planning and development.

The agency is responsible for freight transportation, but also oversees passenger transport. The agency is working to connect people to the destinations they desire and offer more options for travel. The agency's primary focus is on enhancing the experience for passengers and enhancing the safety of the current fleet, and making sure that the rail network continues operating efficiently.

Railroads must comply with a number of federal regulations, which include those that deal with the size and composition of the train crews. In recent years this issue has been a source of contention. Some states have passed legislation that requires two-person crews on trains. This final rule codifies federally the minimum size crew requirements, ensuring that all railroads follow the same safety standards.

This rule also requires each railroad that has a one-person train crew to inform FRA of the operation and submit a risk assessment. This will allow FRA to assess the requirements of each operation with those of a two-person standard crew operation. Additionally this rule alters the standard of review for an approval petition that is based on determining whether an operation is "consistent with railroad safety" to determining whether the operation is safer or more secure than an operation with two crew members.





During the period of public comment for this rule, a number of people expressed their support for a requirement of two people on the crew. In a letter to the editor 29 people voiced their concerns that a single crewmember will not be in a position to respond as quickly to train malfunctions or incidents at grade crossings, or assist emergency response personnel at a highway-rail level crossing. The commenters noted that human factors are responsible for more than half of railroad accidents and think that a bigger crew will ensure the safety of the train and its cargo.

Technology

Freight and passenger rails employ various technologies to increase efficiency, increase safety, and boost security. The language used in the rail industry includes many distinct terms and acronyms but some of the more notable innovations include machine vision systems, instrumentsed rail inspection systems, driverless trains, rolling data centers and drones that are not piloted (commonly known as drones).

Technology isn't just about replacing certain jobs. It allows people to do their jobs better and safer. Passenger railroads use smartphones apps and contactless fare cards to boost ridership and improve the efficiency of their system. Other innovations, like autonomous rail vehicles, are inching closer to reality.

As part of its ongoing effort to ensure safe, reliable and affordable transportation options for the country, the Federal Railroad Administration is focused on modernizing its rail infrastructure. This multi-billion-dollar effort will see bridges, tunnels, tracks and power systems upgraded and stations rebuilt or replace. FRA's recently passed bipartisan infrastructure law will substantially expand the agency's rail improvements programs.

fela lawsuit settlements of Research, Development and Technology of the agency is an essential element in this initiative. Recent National Academies review of the office found it excelled at engaging with, maintaining communication and utilizing inputs of a wide range of stakeholders. It must continue to consider how its research contributes to the department's main goal of ensuring the safety of people and goods by railways.

One area in which the agency might be able to increase its effectiveness is in identifying and supporting the development of automated train technology and systems. The Association of American Railroads, the main freight rail industry industry organization that focuses on research, policy and standard-setting and has created a Technical Advisory Group on Autonomous Train Operations to assist in the development of industry standards for implementing the technology.

The FRA is interested in the development of a taxonomy to describe automated rail vehicles which defines clearly and consistently the different levels of automation. This could be applicable to both rail transit and vehicles on the road. The agency will need to know the level of risk that the industry sees in fully automated operation, and if the industry is considering any additional measures to mitigate the risk.

Innovation

Rail companies are adopting new technologies to increase worker safety, increase efficiency in business processes and ensure that the freight they transport is delivered intact. These innovations include cameras and sensors that monitor freight, to new railcar designs which keep hazardous cargo safe during transport. Some of these technologies allow railroads to send emergency response personnel to areas of accidents so that they can swiftly reduce risks to people and property.

One of the most prominent innovations in rail is Positive Train Control (PTC) that will stop collisions between trains and train, situations where trains are on tracks where they shouldn't be and other accidents that are caused by human error. This system is made up of three components of onboard locomotive systems that track the train; wayside networks which communicate with the locomotive; and a huge server that analyzes and collects data.

Railroads that transport passengers are also embracing technology to enhance security and safety. Amtrak is one example. It is testing the use of drones to assist train security personnel locate passengers and items in an emergency. The company is also exploring ways to make use of drones. They could be used to examine bridges and other infrastructure or to replace the lighting on railway towers, which are dangerous for workers to climb.

Smart track technology is a different technology that is used in passenger railroads. It can detect people or objects on tracks and warn drivers if it is unsafe to continue. These technologies are particularly useful for detecting unauthorized crossings or other issues in the evenings, when traffic is low and there are less witnesses to an accident.

Another important technological breakthrough in the rail industry is telematics which allows railroads, shippers and other stakeholders to see the status and condition of a traincar through real-time tracking. These capabilities provide railcar operators and crews better control and visibility. They can also aid in improving efficiency, avoid unnecessary maintenance, and prevent delays in delivering freight to customers.