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The Federal Railroad Administration and Technology

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

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

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

Safety

The Federal Railroad Administration has a range of safety measures in place to ensure the health and welfare of employees as well as the general public. It is responsible for creating and enforcing rail safety regulations. It also manages rail funding and conducts research on improvements to rail strategies and technology. It also creates and implements a plan to ensure that current rail services, infrastructure and capacity and strategically expands and improves the nation's rail network. The department demands that all rail employers adhere to strict guidelines and empower their employees, and provide them with tools to be safe and successful. This includes an anonymous close-call reporting system, creating labor-management occupational safety and health committees, with full participation from unions and anti-retaliation clauses and providing employees with the required personal protective gear.

FRA inspectors are at the forefront of enforcement of rail safety laws and regulations. They conduct routine inspections of equipment and conduct investigations into hundreds of complaints. Anyone who is in violation of rail safety laws may be penalized civilly. Safety inspectors at the agency have wide discretion to determine whether a violation falls under the definition provided by law of an act punishable with civil penalties. The Office of Chief Counsel's safety division also examines all reports that regional offices submit to ensure they are legal prior to imposing penalties. This discretion is exercised at both the field and regional levels to ensure that civil penalties are only used in cases that warrant their use.

A rail employee must be aware of the rules and regulations that govern their actions, and not knowingly violate those rules to commit a civil penalty-worthy offense. The agency does not consider an individual who acted upon a directive from a supervisor has committed a willful offence. The agency defines "general railroad system" as the entire network that transports passengers and goods between metropolitan areas and cities. The trackage of a plant railroad in a steelmill is not considered to be part of the overall rail transportation system, despite the fact that it is physically connected.

Regulation

The Federal Railroad Administration is responsible to establish regulations for train operations that pertain to safety and the transportation of dangerous substances. The agency oversees rail finance, including loans and grants for infrastructure and service improvement. The agency works with other DOT agencies and industry to devise strategies for improving the nation's rail infrastructure. This includes ensuring the existing rail infrastructure and services, addressing the needs for new capacity, expanding the network strategically, as well as coordinating the regional and national system's planning and development.

While most of the agency's work focuses on freight transportation, it also manages passenger transportation. The agency is working to offer more options for passenger travel and connect people with the places they would like to go. The agency's focus is on improving the passenger's experience, enhancing safety of the existing fleet, and ensuring that the rail network is operating efficiently.

Railroads must comply with a variety of federal regulations, which include the ones pertaining to the size and composition of crews on trains. This issue has become controversial in recent years, with a few states passing legislation that requires two-person crews on trains. The final rule codifies the minimum requirements for crew size at the federal level, making sure that all railroads are subject to consistent safety standards.

This rule also requires that every railroad operating a one-person crew notify FRA and submit a risk analysis. This will enable FRA to evaluate the characteristics of each operation with the standard two-person crew operation. In addition this rule will change the standard of review for an approval petition that is based on determining whether an operation is "consistent with railroad safety" to determining if approving the operation is safe or safer than a two-crewmember operation.

During the time of public comment on this rule, a number of people expressed their support for a requirement of a two person crew. A letter from 29 people outlined their concerns that a lone crewmember could not be as quick to respond to train-related malfunctions or crossing incidents, Fela lawsuits or assist emergency responders at a highway-rail grade crossing. The commenters emphasized that human factors account for more than half all railroad accidents and they believe that a larger team will ensure the safety of the train and its cargo.

Technology

Railroads for passenger and freight use a wide array of technologies to increase efficiency, increase security, improve safety and much more. Rail industry jargon covers various distinct terms and acronyms. Some of the most notable include machine vision systems (also known as drones) instruments for rail-inspection systems, driverless train, rolling data centers, and unmanned aerial vehicle (also called drones).

Technology isn't merely replacing jobs, it's also empowering people to do their job better and safer. Passenger railroads are using smartphone apps and contactless fare payment cards to improve ridership and improve the efficiency of the system. Other innovations, such as autonomous rail vehicles, are inching closer to becoming reality.

As part of its ongoing efforts to improve 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 is a multi-billion-dollar project that will see bridges and tunnels rebuilt, tracks and power systems upgraded, and stations reconstructed or replaced. The recently passed bipartisan infrastructure law will dramatically grow the agency's rail improvement programs.

The agency's Office of Research, Development and Technology is a major component of this initiative. Recent National Academies review of the office found it excelled at engaging, maintaining communication and using inputs of a wide range of stakeholders. But it still needs to be more focused on how its research helps the department achieve its primary strategic goal of ensuring the safe movement of people and goods by rail.

The agency could enhance its effectiveness by identifying and supporting automated train systems and technology. The Association of American Railroads (AAR) is the principal industry association for the freight rail industry, which focuses on research policy, standard-setting and policy, established a Technical Advisory Group for Autonomous Train Operations in order to help develop standards within the industry.

FRA is interested in the group's creation of an automated rail taxonomy, a standard that will clearly and consistently define different levels of automation that could 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 measures to mitigate the risk.

Innovation

Rail companies are embracing technology to improve worker safety, improve efficiency in business processes and ensure that the cargo they transport arrives at its destination in good condition. These innovations vary from cameras and sensors that monitor freight to new railcar designs that help keep dangerous cargo safe during transit. Certain of these technologies allow railroads dispatch emergency responders directly to the scene of an accident to minimize the danger and minimize the damage to property and people.

Positive Train Control (PTC) is one of the most significant innovations in rail. It is designed to keep train-to-train accidents out of the way, as well as situations when trains are in a position they shouldn't, and other incidents caused by human errors. This system is a three-part system consisting of onboard locomotive systems that track the train and wayside networks that communicate with the locomotive, and a massive backend server that analyzes and collects data.

Railroads that transport passengers are also embracing technology to bolster security and safety. For instance, Amtrak is experimenting with drones to aid security staff in locating passengers and other items onboard trains in case of an emergency. The company is also examining ways to make use of drones. They could be used to check 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 can be utilized in passenger railroads. It is able to detect objects or people on tracks and warn drivers if it is unsafe to continue. These kinds of technology are especially useful in detecting crossings that are not authorized and other issues during off-hours, when traffic levels are lower and there are fewer people around to witness an accident.

Another important technological breakthrough in the railway industry is telematics which enables railroads, shippers and other stakeholders to monitor the condition and status of a traincar through real-time tracking. Crews and railcar operators can benefit from greater accountability and transparency which can help them improve efficiency as well as avoid unnecessary maintenance and avoid delays when delivering freight.