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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 conducts research on strategies to improve rail infrastructure.

FRA inspectors on the ground employ discretion to determine which cases are worthy of the time-consuming and precise civil penalty procedure. This helps ensure that the most serious violations are penalized.

Allies and members of SMART-TD made history in 2024 when they began pushing the FRA to keep two people in the cabs of locomotives of freight trains. The fight continues.

Safety

The Federal Railroad Administration has a variety of safety measures in place to protect the health and safety of employees and the public. It is responsible for creating and enforcing safety regulations for rail. It also administers the funding for rail and conducts research on improvements to rail strategies and technologies. It also develops and implements a strategy to ensure the current infrastructure, rail services and capacity, and strategically develops and improves the national rail network. The department requires all rail companies to adhere to strict rules and regulations, empower their workers and provide them with the tools needed to be successful and secure. This includes participating in the confidential close-call reporting system, setting up occupational health and safety committees, with full union participation, as well as anti-retaliation safeguards, and providing employees with needed personal protection equipment.

FRA inspectors are at the forefront of enforcement of rail safety regulations and laws. They perform routine inspections on equipment and investigate hundreds of complaints. Civil penalties may be imposed on those who violate the rail safety laws. The agency's safety inspectors are able to decide on the extent to which a particular violation meets the statutory definition of a civil penalty-worthy act. Additionally, the Office of Chief Counsel's safety department 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 applied in cases that warrant their use.

To be guilty of a civil violation an employee of a railroad must know the rules and regulations that govern the conduct of his or her employees. They also must be aware that they not adhere to these rules. The agency does not believe that an individual who acts on a supervisor's directive has committed a willful offence. The agency defines "general railroad system" as the entire system that transports passengers and goods within and between cities and metropolitan areas. The trackage of a plant railroad in the steel mill isn't considered to be part of the overall rail system of transportation, even being physically connected to it.

Regulation

The Federal Railroad Administration is responsible for establishing regulations for trains including those related 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 collaborates with other DOT agencies and the industry to devise strategies to improve the country's railroad system. This includes ensuring the existing rail infrastructure and fela Accident attorney services, in addition to addressing the need for additional capacity and strategically expanding the network and coordinating national and regional systems planning and development.

The agency is primarily responsible for freight transportation but also manages passenger transportation. The agency is working to offer more options for passenger travel and connect passengers with the places they want to travel to. The agency's focus is on enhancing the experience for passengers, enhancing safety of the existing fleet, and ensuring that the rail network is operating efficiently.

Railroads are required to abide with a number of federal regulations, which include those that deal with the size and composition of the train crews. This is controversial in recent years, with a few states enacting legislation that requires two-person crews on trains. This final rule codifies federally the minimum size of crew requirements, ensuring that all railroads adhere to the same safety standards.

This rule also requires that every railroad that has a one-person crew notify FRA and submit an analysis of risk. This will allow FRA to compare the parameters of each operation to those of a two-person standard crew operation. This rule also alters the criteria for reviewing an application for special approval from determining if an operation is "consistent" with railroad safety standards to determining whether the operation is as secure or safer than two-person crew operations.

During the time of public comment for this rule, a lot of people expressed their support for a requirement for 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. Commenters pointed out that human factor are responsible for more than half of all railroad accidents. They believe that a bigger crew could ensure the security of the train and its cargo.

Technology

Railroads that transport passengers and freight employ a wide array of technologies to enhance efficiency, improve security, improve safety and more. The language used in the rail industry contains a myriad of distinct terms and acronyms however, some of the most notable developments include machine vision systems, instrumented rail inspection systems, driverless trains, rolling data centers, and drones that are not piloted (commonly known as drones).

Technology isn't only able to replace certain jobs. It allows people to perform their jobs better and more safely. Railroads for passengers use apps on smartphones and contactless fare cards to boost ridership and increase the efficiency of their system. Other innovations like autonomous rail cars are coming closer to becoming reality.

The Federal Railroad Administration, as part of its ongoing efforts to ensure secure affordable, reliable, and secure transportation in the United States is focusing on modernizing the rail infrastructure. This multi-billion-dollar effort will see bridges, tunnels tracks, power systems and tracks updated, and stations renovated or replaced. The FRA's rail improvement program will be significantly increased by the recently approved bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

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

One area in which the agency could be able improve its effectiveness is in identifying and supporting the development of automated train technology and systems. 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 and has established a Technical Advisory Group for Autonomous Train Operations to assist in helping create standards within the industry.

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 apply to both rail transit and on-road vehicles. The agency would like to know the amount of risk that 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 enhance worker safety, increase efficiency in business processes and ensure that the freight they transport reaches its destination in good condition. These innovations include cameras and sensors that monitor freight, to new railcar designs that keep hazardous cargo safe during transportation. Some of these technologies offer railroads the ability to dispatch emergency personnel to locations of accidents so they can quickly mitigate the damage and reduce the risk 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 they shouldn't be, and other accidents resulting from human errors. This system consists of three parts: onboard locomotive systems which track the train; wayside networks which communicate with the locomotive; and a massive server that collects and analyses data.

Railroads that transport passengers also use technology to improve security and safety. For instance, Amtrak is experimenting with drones to aid security personnel in locating passengers and other items onboard trains in the event in the event of an emergency. The company is also exploring ways to utilize drones. They could be used to examine bridges and other infrastructure or to replace the lights on railway towers that are dangerous for workers to climb.

Smart track technology is another technology that can be utilized in railways that transport passengers. It can detect people or objects on tracks and alert motorists that it is not safe to continue. These kinds of technology are especially beneficial in detecting unsafe crossings as well as other issues that can arise during off-hours, when traffic levels are lower and there are fewer people around to witness an accident.

Another significant technological advance in the rail industry is telematics, which allows railroads, shippers and other stakeholders to monitor a traincar's status and condition by real-time tracking. These capabilities provide railcar operators and crews better accountability and visibility and can help them improve efficiency, prevent unnecessary maintenance and reduce delays in the delivery of freight to customers.