The Federal Railroad Administration and Technology
The Federal Railroad Administration is responsible for rail safety regulations and enforcement, rail funding and research on rail improvement strategies.
FRA inspectors on the ground make use of discretion to decide which cases are worthy of the lengthy and precise civil penalty process. This discretion helps ensure that those violations most deserving of punishment are punished.
Members of SMART-TD and their allies made history in 2024 when they began pushing the FRA to keep two people in the locomotive cab of freight trains. The fight is not over.
Safety
The Federal Railroad Administration has a variety of safety measures in place to safeguard the safety and health of employees as well as the general public. It develops and enforces rail safety regulations and oversees the funding for rail. It also researches rail improvement strategies and technologies. It also formulates plans, implements and maintains plans for the maintenance of the current infrastructure and services for rail. It also expands and improves strategically the national rail network. The department expects that all rail companies adhere to strict rules, empower their employees and provide them with the tools to ensure their safety and success. This includes participating in the secure close call reporting system, setting up occupational health and safety committees with full union participation, as well as anti-retaliation protections and providing employees with the necessary personal protective equipment.
Inspectors of the FRA are at the forefront of enforcing safety on rail laws and regulations. They conduct regular inspections of equipment and conduct a myriad of investigations of complaints of noncompliance. Civil penalties can be handed out to those who violate rail safety laws. The safety inspectors of the agency have a broad discretion on whether an incident falls within the statutory description of a civil penalty-worthy act. In addition the Office of Chief Counsel's safety department reviews all reports received by regional offices to determine legal sufficiency before assessing penalties. The exercise of this discretion at the regional and field levels helps ensure that the time-consuming, costly civil penalty process is utilized only in situations that truly warrant the deterrent effect of a civil fine.
To be considered guilty of a civil offense the employee of a rail company must know the rules and regulations governing their actions. They also must be aware that they disregard these standards. However the agency doesn't take any person who acts under a directive by a supervisor as having committed an intentional violation. The agency defines the "general railroad system of transportation" as the entire system that passengers and goods travel within cities and metropolitan areas and between them. The trackage of a plant railroad at the steel mill isn't considered to be part of the overall transportation system by rail even being physically connected to it.
Regulation
The Federal Railroad Administration is responsible for establishing train regulations that pertain to safety and the transportation of dangerous substances. The agency manages railway finance, including grants and loan to improve service and infrastructure. The agency collaborates with other DOT agencies and industry to develop strategies for improving the rail system of the United States. This includes maintaining the current rail infrastructure and services, responding to the demands for capacity expansion, expanding the network strategically, and coordinating the regional and national system's development and planning.
The agency is mostly responsible for freight transport, but also manages passenger transportation. The agency is working to connect people to the destinations they desire and offer more alternatives for travel. The agency's primary focus is on enhancing the experience for passengers and enhancing the safety of the existing fleet and ensuring the rail system continues to operate efficiently.
Railroads must comply with a number of federal regulations, which include those that deal with the size and composition of crews on trains. This is a controversial one in recent years, with several states passing legislation to require two-person crews on trains. This final rule codifies federally the minimum crew size requirements, making sure that all railroads follow the same safety standards.
This also requires every railroad that operates a single-person train crew to notify FRA of the operation and submit an assessment of risk. 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 a special approval petition from determining whether the operation is "consistent with railroad safety" to determining whether the operation is secure or as safe as an operation with two crew members.
During the period of public comment on this rule, a large number of people voiced their support for a requirement for two persons on the crew. A form letter sent by 29 people expressed their concern that a single crew member would not be as quick to respond to issues with trains or grade crossing incidents, or assist emergency responders at a highway-rail grade crossing. The commenters noted that human factors are responsible for more than half all railroad accidents and believe that a larger crew would help ensure the safety of both the train and its cargo.
Technology
Railroads for passenger and freight use a wide array of technologies to improve efficiency, add security, improve safety and much more. The language used in the rail industry includes many unique terms and acronyms, but some of the more notable innovations include machine vision systems, instrumented rail inspection systems, driverless trains, rolling data centers and unmanned aerial vehicles (commonly known as drones).
Technology isn't merely replacing jobs; it's helping people to perform their jobs more efficiently and with greater security. Railroads that transport passengers use smartphones and contactless fare cards to boost ridership and improve the efficiency of their system. Other innovations like autonomous rail cars are moving closer to reality.
As part of its ongoing effort to improve secure, reliable and affordable transportation options for the country The Federal Railroad Administration is focused on modernizing its rail infrastructure. This multi-billion-dollar project will see tunnels, bridges tracks, power systems, and tracks upgraded and stations rebuilt or replace. FRA's recently passed bipartisan infrastructure law will significantly expand the agency's rail improvements programs.
fela railroad settlements of Research, Development and Technology of the agency is a key part of this effort. The most recent National Academies review of the office revealed that it was successful in engaging in a continuous dialogue and utilizing the inputs from a variety of stakeholders. But it must concentrate on how its research aids in the department's main objective of ensuring the safe movement of goods and people via railway.
The agency could increase its effectiveness by identifying and implementing automated train systems and technologies. The Association of American Railroads (AAR) is the main industry association for the freight rail industry, which focuses on research and policy, as well as standard setting, established a Technical Advisory Group for Autonomous Train Operations in order to help develop standards within the industry.
FRA is likely to be interested in the creation of an automated rail taxonomy. It is a standard that will clearly and consistently define the different levels of automation that would be applicable to both on-road and rail transit vehicles. The agency will need to know the degree of risk that the industry sees in fully automated operation, and if the industry is considering any additional safeguards to minimize that risk.
Innovation
Rail companies are embracing technology to improve worker safety, increase efficiency in business processes and ensure that the freight they transport is delivered in good condition. These innovations range from sensors and cameras that monitor freight, to new railcar designs which keep hazardous cargo safe during transit. Some of these technologies enable railroads to send emergency responders directly to the scene of an accident to minimize danger and minimize the damages to property and individuals.
One of the most renowned innovations in rail is Positive Train Control (PTC) which will prevent collisions between trains and trains, situations in which trains are on tracks where they shouldn't be and other accidents that are caused by human errors. It is a three-part system comprised of onboard locomotive systems that track the train, wayside networks that communicate with the locomotive and a huge backend server that gathers and analyzes data.
Railroads that transport passengers are also embracing technology to enhance safety and security. For instance, Amtrak is experimenting with drones to assist security personnel in finding passengers and other items aboard trains in the event in an emergency. Amtrak is also investigating different ways to use drones, including deploying drones to conduct inspections of bridges as well as other infrastructure, such as replacing the lights on railway towers, which could be hazardous for workers to climb.
Other technologies that could be utilized for railways for passengers include smart track technology that can detect the presence of people or objects on the tracks and issue drivers with a warning if it's unsafe for them to proceed. These kinds of technologies can be particularly beneficial in detecting unsafe crossings as well as other issues that can arise during times when traffic is at its lowest and fewer people are around to witness an accident.
Telematics is another important technological breakthrough in the railway industry. It allows railways, shippers and other stakeholders, to monitor a traincar in real-time. Traincar crews and operators can benefit from greater accountability and transparency which will allow them increase efficiency as well as avoid unnecessary maintenance and avoid delays when delivering freight.