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The Federal Railroad Administration and Technology

The Federal Railroad Administration creates and enforces rail safety regulations 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 helps ensure that the most serious violations are penalized.

SMART-TD members and allies have made history in 2024 by pushing the FRA to allow two people in the cabs of locomotives of freight trains. The fight isn't over.

Safety

The Federal Railroad Administration implements a variety of safety measures to ensure the health of its employees and public. It creates and enforces safety regulations for rail as well as manages funding for rail and researches strategies for improving rail and technologies. It also creates and implements a strategy to ensure the current infrastructure, services, and capacity, and strategically develops and enhances the national rail network. The department requires all rail employers to adhere to strict rules and regulations, empower their workers and provide them with the tools needed to be successful and safe. This includes an anonymous close-call reporting system, setting up labor-management occupational safety and health committees with full-union participation and antiretaliation provisions and giving employees the necessary personal protective gear.

Inspectors of the FRA are at the forefront of enforcing rail safety regulations and laws. They conduct routine inspections on equipment and investigate hundreds of complaints. Civil penalties can be imposed on those who violate rail safety laws. Safety inspectors at the agency have a broad discretion to determine whether a violation falls under the legal definition of an act that is punishable with civil penalties. The Office of Chief Counsel’s safety division also examines all reports submitted by regional offices to ensure that they are legal prior to imposing penalties. This discretion is exercised at the field and regional levels to ensure that civil penalties are only used in situations that warrant them.

A rail employee must be aware of the rules and regulations that govern his actions and knowingly disregard those guidelines to commit a civil penalty-worthy offense. The agency does not believe that a person who acts upon a directive from a supervisor has committed a willful offence. The agency defines "general railroad system" as the entire network that carries goods and passengers between cities and metropolitan areas. A plant railroad's trackage in a steel mill is not considered part of the general transportation system that trains, even being physically connected to it.

Regulation

The Federal Railroad Administration is responsible for establishing regulations for trains that pertain to safety and the movement of dangerous substances. The agency manages rail finance, including loans and grants to improve service and infrastructure. The agency collaborates with other DOT agencies as well as industry to devise strategies to improve the nation's rail system. This work includes maintaining current rail services and infrastructure, addressing the need for new capacity and strategically expanding the network and coordinating national and regional systems planning and development.

Although the majority of the agency's activities are focused on freight transportation, it also manages the transportation of passengers. The agency aims to connect people to destinations they desire and fela claims railroad employees offer more choices for travel. The agency is focused primarily on improving the experience of passengers and enhancing the safety of the existing fleet, and ensuring that the rail network is operating efficiently.

Railroads must comply with many federal regulations, including those related to the size of crews on trains. This is controversial in recent years, with several states enacting legislation that requires two-person crews on trains. This final rule defines federally the minimum crew size requirements, making sure that all railroads follow the same safety standards.

This law also requires that each railroad operating a one-person crew notify FRA and submit a risk analysis. This will allow FRA to better understand the specific parameters of each operation and compare them with the parameters of a standard two-person crew operation. This rule also changes the review standard of a special approval request to determine if an operation is "consistent" with railroad safety standards to determining whether the operation is safer or more secure than a two-person crew operation.

During the time of public comments for this rule, a large number of people expressed their support for a requirement for two people on the crew. In a formal letter 29 people voiced their concern that a single member of the crew is not able to respond as quickly to train accidents or malfunctions at grade crossings or assist emergency personnel on an elevated highway crossing. Commenters pointed out that human factor are responsible for a majority of railroad accidents. They believe that a larger team will ensure the security of the train and its cargo.

Technology

Railroads that transport passengers and freight employ various technologies to enhance efficiency, increase security, improve safety and more. The language used in the rail industry includes many unique terms and acronyms, but some of the more significant developments include machines-vision systems, instrumented rail inspection systems, Fela Lawyer driverless trains rolling data centers and drones that are not piloted (commonly known as drones).

Technology doesn't just replace some jobs. It helps people perform their jobs better and safer. Railroads for passengers use apps on smartphones and contactless fare cards to increase ridership and increase the efficiency of their system. Other innovations such as autonomous rail cars are coming closer to reality.

The Federal Railroad Administration, as part of its ongoing efforts to ensure secure affordable, reliable, and secure transportation in America, is focused on modernizing the rail infrastructure. This multi-billion dollar project will see bridges, tunnels, tracks and power systems upgraded and stations being rebuilt or replaced. FRA's recently enacted bipartisan infrastructure law will significantly increase the agency's rail improvement programs.

The Office of Research, Development and Technology of the agency is a key part of this initiative. The National Academies' recent review of the office found that it excelled in keeping in touch with inputs from a broad range of stakeholders. It must continue to consider how its research contributes towards the department's primary goal of ensuring the safety of goods and people by rail.

The agency could increase its effectiveness by identifying and implementing automated train systems and technology. The Association of American Railroads (AAR) is the principal industry association for the freight rail industry that focuses on research and policy, as well as standard setting created the Technical Advisory Group for Autonomous Train Operations to assist in helping create standards within the industry.

The FRA is interested in the creation of a taxonomy for automated rail vehicles, a system that defines clearly and consistently the different levels of automation. This could apply to rail transit as well as vehicles on the road. The agency would like to know the level of risk that the industry perceives with fully automated operation, and whether the industry is contemplating any additional safeguards to reduce the risk.

Innovation

Rail companies are embracing technology to increase worker safety, boost efficiency in business processes, and ensure that the cargo they transport reaches its destination in good condition. These innovations range from sensors and cameras that monitor freight to innovative railcar designs that help keep dangerous cargo safe during transportation. Some of these technologies allow railroads to dispatch emergency personnel directly to accident sites to reduce the risk and minimize damage to property and people.

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 mistakes. This system consists of three parts of onboard locomotive systems that track the train; wayside networks that communicate with the locomotive; and a massive server that collects and analyses data.

Passenger railroads are also embracing technology to improve security and safety. Amtrak for instance, is experimenting with the use of drones to assist train security personnel locate passengers and other items in the event of an emergency. Amtrak is also investigating other possibilities to utilize drones, for instance, using them to perform inspections of bridges and other infrastructure like replacing the lighting on railway towers that could be 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 objects or people on the tracks and issue a warning to drivers if it's unsafe to proceed. These technologies are particularly effective in detecting unsafe crossings or other issues in the evenings when the traffic is lower and there are less witnesses to an accident.

Another important technological advancement in the rail industry is telematics which enables railroads, shippers and other stakeholders to monitor the condition and status of a traincar through real-time tracking. These capabilities provide railcar operators and crews greater control and visibility. They can also help them improve efficiency, avoid unnecessary maintenance, and prevent delays in delivering freight to customers.