The Federal Railroad Administration and Technology
The Federal Railroad Administration is responsible for safety regulations for rail and enforcement, rail funding and research on rail improvement strategies.
FRA inspectors on the ground employ discretion to decide which cases are worthy of the lengthy and precise civil penalty procedure. This allows them to ensure that the most serious violations of punishment are punished.
Members of SMART-TD and their allies have made history in 2024 by pushing the FRA to ensure that two people are in the cabs of locomotives of freight trains. The fight continues.
Safety
The Federal Railroad Administration has a range of safety measures in place to protect the safety and health of its employees and the general public. It is responsible for developing and enforcing rail safety regulations. It also manages the funding for rail and studies rail improvement strategies and technological developments. It also develops and implements a strategy to ensure the current infrastructure, rail services and capacity, and strategically expands and enhances the national rail network. The department expects that all rail operators adhere to strict regulations that empower their employees and provide them with the tools to be safe and successful. This includes participating in the confidential close-call reporting system, establishing labor-management occupational health and safety committees with full union participation and anti-retaliation safeguards, and providing employees with personal protection 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 multitude of investigations of complaints of noncompliance. Anyone who violates the safety rules for rail can be punished with civil penalties. The agency's safety inspectors have a broad discretion on whether an incident falls within the legal definition of a crime that is punishable by civil penalties. The Office of Chief Counsel’s safety division also examines all reports submitted by regional offices to ensure they are legal before assessing penalties. This discretion is exercised at both the regional and field levels to ensure that civil penalties are only applied in situations that warrant them.
To be guilty of a civil offense an employee of a railroad must be aware of the rules and regulations that govern the conduct of his or her employees. They must also be aware of and disregard these standards. The agency does not consider that a person who acts in response to a supervisor's direction has committed a willful offence. The agency defines "general railroad system" as the whole network that transports passengers and goods between metropolitan areas and cities. fela lawsuits of a plant railroad in a steelmill is not considered to be part of the general rail transportation system, even though it is physically connected.
Regulation
The Federal Railroad Administration is responsible for establishing regulations for trains, such as those relating to safety and the transportation of dangerous substances. The agency oversees rail finance, including loans and grants for infrastructure and service improvement. The agency works with other DOT agencies and industry to devise strategies to improve the nation's railway system. This includes maintaining the current rail infrastructure and services, addressing the need for additional capacity, expanding the network strategically as well as coordinating the national and regional system planning and development.
Although the majority of the agency's activities are focused on freight transportation, it also oversees passenger transportation. The agency is trying to connect people to the places they want and provide more options for travel. The agency is focused on improving the experience for passengers, enhancing the safety of the current fleet, and ensuring the rail network is operating efficiently.
Railroads must comply with many federal regulations, including those pertaining to the size of the crews on trains. This issue has become controversial in recent years, with some 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 one-person train crews to inform FRA of the operation and submit an assessment of risk. This will allow FRA to better identify the specifics of each operation and compare them with the parameters of a normal two-person crew operation. This rule also changes the standard for reviewing a special approval request to determine if an operation is "consistent" with railroad safety to determining if the operation is safer or safer than two-person crew operation.
During the time of public comment on this rule, a number of people voted for a requirement for two persons on the crew. In a letter to the editor 29 people voiced their concerns that a single crewmember would not be capable of responding in a timely manner to incidents or train malfunctions at grade crossings, or assist emergency response personnel on a highway-rail level crossing. The commenters noted that human factors account for more than half railroad accidents and believe that a larger crew would help ensure the safety of the train and its cargo.
Technology
Freight and passenger rails use different technologies to improve efficiency, improve security, and improve safety. Rail industry jargon comprises a variety of distinct terms and acronyms. Some of the most prominent include machine vision systems (also called drones) and rail-inspection systems that are instrumented driverless trains rolling data centers and unmanned aerial vehicles (also called drones).
Technology doesn't just replace some jobs. It empowers people to perform their jobs better and safer. Passenger railroads are using smartphone apps and contactless fare payment cards in order to boost ridership and improve the efficiency of the system. Other innovations, like autonomous rail vehicles, are moving closer to becoming a reality.
As part of its ongoing efforts to advance secure, reliable and affordable transportation for the entire nation 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 updated, and stations being rebuilt or replaced. The FRA's rail improvements program will be significantly increased by the recently approved bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
The agency's Office of Research, Development and Technology is a key element in this effort. Recent National Academies review of the office revealed that it was successful in engaging with, maintaining communication and utilizing 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 safe movement of people and goods by railways.
The agency could increase its effectiveness by identifying and supporting automated train systems and technology. The Association of American Railroads (AAR) is the principal industry association for the freight rail industry that is focused on research, policy and standard setting, established the Technical Advisory Group for Autonomous Train Operations to assist in helping create standards within the industry.
FRA will be interested in the creation of an automated rail taxonomy, a standardization system that can clearly and consistently define the different levels of automation that will be applicable to both on-road and rail transit vehicles. The agency will want to know the level of risk the industry perceives with fully automated operation, and if the industry is contemplating any additional safeguards to minimize that risk.
Innovation
Rail companies are adopting technology to increase worker safety, improve efficiency in business processes, and ensure that the freight they transport arrives at its destination intact. Examples of such innovation vary from the use sensors and cameras to keep track of freight, and to new railcar designs that help keep hazardous cargo secure during transit. Certain of these technologies provide a way for railroads to send emergency response personnel to areas of accidents so that they can quickly mitigate the damage and minimize risk to people and property.
Positive Train Control (PTC) is one of the most significant innovations in rail. It can keep train-to-train accidents out of the way, as well as situations when trains are in a position they shouldn't be, and other accidents caused by human errors. This system is a three-part process consisting of onboard locomotive systems that track the train and wayside networks that connect with the locomotive and a massive backend server that analyzes and collects data.
Railroads that transport passengers also use technology to improve safety and security. For instance, Amtrak is experimenting with the use of drones to assist security personnel in locating passengers and items on board trains in case in an emergency. Amtrak is also looking into ways to use drones. They could be used to inspect bridges and other infrastructure or to replace the lighting on railway towers that are hazardous for workers to climb.
Other technologies that can be utilized for railways for passengers include smart track technology, which can detect the presence of people or objects on the tracks and issue a warning to drivers if it's unsafe to travel. These kinds of technologies can be particularly useful in detecting crossings that are not authorized as well as other issues that can arise during off-hours, when traffic is at its lowest and there are fewer people around to witness an accident.
Telematics is a significant technological advancement in the rail industry. It lets railways, shippers, and other stakeholders to monitor a traincar in real-time. Such capabilities give railcar operators and their crews more accountability and visibility and can aid in improving efficiency, avoid unnecessary maintenance and reduce delays in delivering freight to customers.