The Federal Railroad Administration and Technology
The Federal Railroad Administration creates and enforces safety regulations for rail, provides rail funding and studies strategies for improving rail safety.
FRA inspectors on the ground employ discretion to determine which cases are worthy of the time-consuming and precise civil penalty process. This discretion helps ensure that the violations most deserving of punishment are penalized.
SMART-TD and its allies created history in 2024 when they convinced the FRA that two persons should be in the cabs of freight locomotives. trains. The fight continues.
Safety
The Federal Railroad Administration implements a number of safety measures to ensure the health of its employees and public. It creates and enforces rail safety regulations, administers rail funding and researches strategies for improving rail and technology. It also formulates and implements a strategy to ensure the current rail services, infrastructure and capacity, and strategically develops and enhances the national rail network. The department expects that all rail companies adhere to strict regulations that empower their employees and provide them with tools to be secure and productive. This includes participation in the confidential close call reporting system, setting up labor-management occupational health and safety committees, with full participation from unions and protection against retaliation and providing employees with the necessary personal safety equipment.
FRA inspectors are at the forefront of enforcement of the rail safety regulations and laws. They perform routine inspections on equipment and investigate complaints from hundreds of people. Those who violate the rail safety laws could be punished with civil penalties. Safety inspectors at the agency have a broad discretion to determine if violations fall within the statutory definition of an act that is punishable by civil penalties. In addition the Office of Chief Counsel's safety division reviews all reports received by regional offices for legal sufficiency before assessing penalties. The exercise of this discretion both at the regional and field levels helps ensure that the exacting, time-consuming civil penalty process is applied only in those situations that are truly deserving of the effect of a civil penalty.
A rail worker must be aware of the rules and regulations that govern their actions and be aware of the standards to commit a criminal offense that is punishable by a civil penalty. However, the agency does not take any person who follows a directive from a supervisor as having committed an intentional violation. The agency defines "general railroad system" as the entire network that carries goods and passengers between cities and metropolitan areas. The trackage of a plant railroad at a steel mill is not considered to be part of the overall transportation system that trains even being physically connected to it.
Regulation
The Federal Railroad Administration sets train regulations, including those related to safety and movement of hazardous materials. The agency manages rail finance, which includes grants and loan to improve service and infrastructure. The agency works with other DOT agencies and industry to devise strategies for improving the rail system of the United States. This includes ensuring the current rail infrastructure and services, responding to the demands for additional capacity, expanding the network strategically and coordinating the regional and national system's planning and development.
The agency is mostly responsible for freight transport, but also manages passenger transportation. The agency is trying to connect people to the places they'd like to visit and offer more options for travel. The agency is focused on improving the experience for passengers and increasing the safety of the existing fleet, and ensuring that the railway system continues to function efficiently.
Railroads must comply with a number of federal regulations, which include the ones pertaining to the size and composition of crews on trains. In recent times, this issue has become a source of controversy. Certain states have passed legislation mandating two-person teams on trains. This final rule codifies the minimum requirements for crew size at a federal level, ensuring that all railroads are subject to the same safety standards.
This rule also requires that each railroad operating with a crew of one notify FRA and submit an analysis of risk. This will allow FRA to compare the parameters of each operation with those of a two-person standard crew operation. This rule also alters the criteria for reviewing a special approval request from determining if an operation is "consistent" with railroad safety, to determining if the operation is as safe or less risky than a two-person crew operation.
During the period of public comment for this rule, a number of people expressed their support for a requirement of a two person crew. A letter written by 29 people outlined their concerns that a single crew member might not be as quick to respond to train-related malfunctions or crossing incidents or assist emergency response personnel at a highway-rail grade crossing. The commenters noted that human factors account for more than half of all railroad accidents, and they believe that a larger team would help ensure the safety of both the train and the cargo it transports.
Technology
Railroads for passenger and freight use a wide array of technologies to enhance efficiency, increase security, improve safety and more. The language used in the rail industry includes a variety of specific terms and acronyms, but some of the most significant developments include machine vision systems, instrumentsed rail inspection systems, driverless trains rolling data centers and unmanned aerial vehicles (commonly called drones).
Technology isn't just replacing certain jobs, it's also empowering people to do their job better and safer. Railroads for passengers use apps on smartphones and contactless fare cards in order to increase ridership and improve the efficiency of their system. Other innovations, such as autonomous rail vehicles, are moving closer to becoming a reality.
The Federal Railroad Administration, as part of its ongoing efforts to improve secure reliable, affordable, and cost-effective transportation in America is focusing on modernizing the railway infrastructure. This multi-billion-dollar project will see tunnels, bridges tracks, power systems, and tracks updated and stations being rebuilt or replaced. The recently passed bipartisan infrastructure law will significantly grow the agency's rail improvement programs.
The agency's Office of Research, Development and Technology is a central component of this initiative. Recent National Academies review of the office revealed that it was successful in engaging in a continuous dialogue and utilizing the inputs of a wide range of stakeholders. It is still required to consider how its research contributes to the department's primary goal of ensuring the safe movement of goods and people by rail.
The agency could increase its efficiency by identifying and supporting automated train systems and technology. The Association of American Railroads (AAR), the primary industry association for the freight rail industry that focuses on research, policy and standard setting, established the Technical Advisory Group for Autonomous Train Operations in order to help develop standards within the industry.
The FRA is interested in the development of a taxonomy for automated rail vehicles, a system that defines clearly and consistently the different levels of automation. This would apply to both rail transit and vehicles on the road. The agency will need to know the level of risk that the industry perceives with fully automated operation, and whether the industry is contemplating any additional safeguards to minimize the risk.
Innovation
Railroads are adopting technology to boost worker safety and improve business processes. efficient, and ensure that the freight it transports arrives at its destination safely. Examples of such innovation vary from the use cameras and sensors to track freight, to the latest railcar designs that help keep hazardous cargo secure during transit. fela claims of these technologies allow railroads to send emergency response personnel to the scene of an accident so they can quickly mitigate the damage and minimize risk to people and property.
One of the most well-known innovations in rail is Positive Train Control (PTC), which will inhibit collisions between trains and trains, situations in which trains are on tracks they shouldn't be, and other accidents that result from human mistakes. This system is a three-part system comprised of onboard locomotive systems that track the train and wayside networks that connect with the locomotive and an enormous backend server that analyzes and collects data.
Passenger railroads are also embracing technology to enhance security and safety. Amtrak for instance, is experimenting with drones in order to help security personnel on trains locate passengers and items in the event of an emergency. Amtrak is also investigating other ways to use drones, such as using drones to conduct inspections of bridges and other infrastructure like replacing the lights on railway towers, which can be hazardous for workers to climb.
Smart track technology is a different technology that can be utilized in railways for passengers. It is able to detect objects or people on tracks and notify drivers if it is unsafe to continue. These technologies are especially useful in detecting crossings that are not authorized or other issues during the evenings, when traffic is low and there are less witnesses to an accident.
Telematics is a significant technological advance in the railway industry. It allows shippers, railways and other stakeholders to track a traincar in real-time. These capabilities provide railcar operators and their crews more accountability and visibility and can aid in improving efficiency, avoid unnecessary maintenance and avoid delays in delivering freight to customers.