The Federal Railroad Administration and Technology
The Federal Railroad Administration is responsible for safety regulations for rail and enforcement, rail funding and research on improving rail strategies.
FRA inspectors on the ground make use of discretion to decide which cases merit the time-consuming and precise civil penalty procedure. This helps ensure that the most serious violations are punished.
SMART-TD, along with its allies, made history in 2024 when they convinced the FRA that two people should be in the locomotive cabs of freight trains. The fight continues.
Safety
The Federal Railroad Administration has a variety of safety measures in place to ensure the health and safety of employees as well as the general public. It is responsible for creating and enforcing rail safety regulations. It also administers the funding for rail and conducts research on improvements to rail strategies and technologies. It also creates, implements and maintains a plan for maintaining the current rail infrastructure and services. It also develops and improves the national rail network. The department requires all railroad employers to abide by strict rules and regulations, and empower their employees and provide them with tools needed to be successful and safe. This includes taking part in the confidential close call reporting system, setting up labor-management occupational health and safety committees that have full participation from unions and anti-retaliation protections and providing employees with the necessary personal safety equipment.
FRA inspectors are on the front lines of enforcement of railway safety laws and regulations. They conduct routine inspections on equipment and conduct investigations into hundreds of complaints. Anyone who violates the rail safety laws could be penalized civilly. Safety inspectors at the agency have a broad decision-making power to determine if a violation falls under the legal definition of an offense that is punishable by civil penalties. Additionally the Office of Chief Counsel's security division examines all reports submitted by regional offices to determine legality prior to assessing penalties. The exercise of this discretion both at the field and regional levels helps ensure that the exacting, time-consuming civil penalty process is used only in situations that are truly deserving of the effect of a civil penalty.
To be considered guilty of a civil violation the employee of a rail company must know the rules and regulations governing his or her actions. They must also be aware of and disregard these standards. The agency does not believe that an individual who acts upon a directive from a supervisor has committed a willful offence. The agency defines "general railroad system" as the whole network that transports passengers and goods within and 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, even though it's physically connected.
Regulation
The Federal Railroad Administration is responsible for establishing train regulations including those related to safety and the transportation of dangerous substances. The agency oversees rail finance, including loans and grants to improve service and infrastructure. The agency collaborates with other DOT agencies and industry to develop strategies for improving the nation's railroad system. This includes maintaining the current rail infrastructure and services, addressing the needs for new capacity and expanding the network strategically, as well as coordinating the national and regional system planning and development.
Although the majority of the agency's work focuses on freight transportation, it also oversees the transportation of passengers. The agency is working to offer more options for passenger travel and connect people to the places they want to go. The agency is focused on enhancing the passenger experience, increasing the safety of the existing fleet, and ensuring that the railway system continues to function efficiently.
Railroads are required to abide with a range of federal regulations, including the ones pertaining to the size and composition of the train crews. In recent years this issue has been a source of contention. Certain states have passed legislation mandating two-person crews on trains. This final rule outlines the minimum requirements for crew size at the federal level, making sure that all railroads are subject to the same safety standards.
This rule also requires that every railroad that has a one-person crew notify FRA and submit a risk analysis. This will allow FRA to evaluate the characteristics of each operation to the standard two-person crew operation. Additionally this rule alters the standard of review for the special approval petition from determining whether the operation is "consistent with railroad safety" to determining whether the operation would be as safe or safer than a two-crewmember operation.
During the public comment period on this rule, many people expressed support for a two-person crew requirement. A letter from 29 people expressed their concern that a single crew member would not be as quick to respond to train malfunctions or grade crossing incidents, or assist emergency response personnel at a highway-rail grade crossing. Commenters noted that human factors are the reason for more than half all railroad accidents. They believe that a bigger crew would ensure the security of the train as well as its cargo.
Technology
Freight and passenger rails employ a variety of technologies to improve efficiency, improve security, and improve safety. Rail industry jargon comprises many distinct terms and acronyms. Some of the most notable include machine vision systems (also called drones) and rail-inspection systems that are instrumented driverless trains rolling data centers and unmanned aerial vehicle (also known as drones).
Technology doesn't just replace some jobs. It helps people perform their jobs better and more safely. Railroads that transport passengers use smartphones and contactless fare cards to boost passengership and boost the efficiency of their system. Other developments, like autonomous rail vehicles, are moving closer to reality.
The Federal Railroad Administration, as part of its ongoing efforts to improve secure affordable, reliable, and secure transportation in the United States, is focused on modernizing the rail infrastructure. This multi-billion-dollar effort will see tunnels, bridges, tracks and power systems upgraded and stations being rebuilt or replaced. The FRA's rail improvement program will be greatly extended by the recently passed bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
The Office of Research, Development and Technology of the agency is an essential part of this effort. The National Academies' recent review of the office found that it excelled at engaging, maintaining communication with inputs from a broad range of stakeholders. It must continue to focus on how its research contributes to the department's primary objective of ensuring the safety of people and goods via rail.
One area where the agency might be able to improve its effectiveness is in identifying and assisting the development of automated train systems and technologies. The Association of American Railroads (AAR), the primary industry association for the freight rail industry, which focuses on research and policy, as well as standard setting and has established the Technical Advisory Group for Autonomous Train Operations to assist in helping establish standards for the industry.
FRA will be interested in the group's creation of an automated rail taxonomy. It is a system of standards to clearly and consistently define the different levels of automation that would be applicable to both on-road and rail transit vehicles. The agency will also need to know the level of risk to safety that the industry perceives associated with implementing fully automated operation and whether or not the industry is contemplating additional safeguards to mitigate that 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. Examples of such technological advancement range from the use of cameras and sensors to monitor freight, to new railcar designs that keep hazardous cargo safe during transit. Certain of these technologies enable railroads to dispatch emergency responders directly to sites of accidents to minimize danger and minimize the damage to people and property.
Positive Train Control (PTC) is one of the most significant innovations in rail. It will stop train-to-train accidents, instances where trains are on track they shouldn't be, and other accidents caused by human error. This system is a three-part system consisting of locomotives onboard that track the train, wayside networks that communicate with the locomotive, and an enormous backend server that analyzes and collects data.
Railroads that transport passengers also use technology to enhance security and safety. Amtrak is one example. It is testing the use of drones to assist train security staff find passengers and other items in an emergency. The company is also exploring ways to utilize drones. They could be used to inspect bridges and other infrastructures or to replace the lights on railway towers that are hazardous for workers to climb.
Other technologies that can be utilized for railways for passengers include smart track technology that can detect the presence of people or objects on the tracks and send a warning to drivers if it's unsafe for them to proceed. fela law firm are particularly useful for detecting unauthorized crossings or other problems in the evenings when traffic is less and there are less witnesses to an accident.
Telematics is another important technological breakthrough in the railway industry. It allows railways, shippers and other stakeholders, to track a traincar in real-time. Traincar crews and operators can benefit from increased accountability and visibility which can help them to increase efficiency and avoid unnecessary maintenance. It will also help avoid delays when delivering freight.