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The Federal Railroad Administration and Technology

The fela federal employers liability act Railroad Administration creates and enforces safety regulations for rail, provides rail funding and studies strategies for improving rail safety.

FRA field inspectors make use of discretion to decide which cases merit the precise and time consuming civil penalty process. This allows them to ensure that the violations most deserving of punishment are punished.

SMART-TD and its allies created history by 2024 when they convinced the FRA that two people should be in the locomotive cabs of freight trains. The fight is not over.

Safety

The Federal Railroad Administration implements a number of safety measures to safeguard the health of employees as well as the public. It develops and enforces rail safety regulations and oversees the funding for rail. It also researches rail improvement strategies and technologies. It also creates, implements and maintains an action plan to maintain current rail services and infrastructure. It also develops and improves the rail network across the nation. The department requires all railroad employers to adhere to strict rules and regulations, and empower their employees and provide them with tools to succeed and stay safe. This includes participation in the secure close call reporting system, setting up labor-management occupational health and safety committees, with full union participation, as well as anti-retaliation protections and providing employees with the necessary 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 hundreds of investigations into complaints of noncompliance. Civil penalties may be handed out to those who violate railroad safety laws. Safety inspectors at the agency have a wide discretion to determine whether violations fall within the legal definition of an act that is punishable by civil penalties. In addition, the Office of Chief Counsel's safety department reviews all reports that are received by regional offices for legal sufficiency before assessing penalties. The exercise of this discretion at both the field and regional levels helps ensure that the lengthy, time-consuming civil penalty process is utilized only in those situations that truly warrant the deterrent effect of a civil penalty.

To be convicted of a civil infringement, a rail employee must know the rules and regulations that govern their actions. They must also knowingly disregard these standards. However the agency does not take any person who acts under a directive from a supervisor to have committed an intentional violation. The agency defines the "general railroad system of transportation" as the entire system that allows passengers and goods to travel within metropolitan and city areas, or between them. The trackage of a plant railroad in a steelmill is not considered to be part of the overall rail transportation system, even though it is physically connected.

Regulation

The Federal Railroad Administration is responsible for establishing train regulations including those related to safety and the transportation of hazardous substances. The agency oversees rail finance, which includes loans and grants for infrastructure and service improvement. The agency collaborates with other DOT agencies and the industry to develop strategies to improve the country's railroad system. This includes ensuring the current rail infrastructure and services, responding to the demands for additional capacity, expanding the network strategically and coordinating the national and regional system development and planning.

The agency is responsible for freight transportation but also supervises passenger transportation. The agency is trying to connect people to places they'd like to visit and offer more alternatives for travel. The agency is focused on improving the experience for passengers, enhancing the safety of the current fleet, and making sure that the rail network is operating efficiently.

Railroads are required to comply with a variety of federal regulations, including those that deal with the size and composition of crews on trains. This is controversial in recent years, with some states passing legislation to require two-person crews on trains. This final rule defines federally the minimum size of crew requirements, ensuring that all railroads follow the same safety standards.

This rule also requires each 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 compare the parameters of each operation with those of a two-person standard crew operation. In addition this rule will change the review standard for the special approval petition from determining whether an operation is "consistent with railroad safety" to determining whether the operation is safer or more secure than an operation with two crew members.

During the public comment period for this rule, a large number of people supported the requirement for a two-person crew. In a formal letter 29 people expressed their concern that a single member of the crew will not be able to respond in a timely manner to incidents or train malfunctions at grade crossings, or assist emergency response personnel at a highway-rail level crossing. Commenters pointed out that human factors are the reason for more than half of all railroad accidents. They believe that a larger team will ensure the safety of the train and its cargo.

Technology

Railroads for passenger and freight use various technologies to increase efficiency, increase security, improve safety and much 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, instrumented rail inspection systems, driverless trains rolling data centers and drones that are not piloted (commonly known as drones).

Technology isn't just about replacing certain jobs. It helps people do their jobs better and more safely. Railroads that transport passengers are using smartphones and contactless fare payment cards to increase ridership and make the system more efficient. Other developments like autonomous rail cars are getting closer to reality.

The Federal Railroad Administration, as part of its ongoing efforts to ensure secure reliable, affordable, and cost-effective transportation in the United States is focusing on modernizing the railway infrastructure. This is a multi-billion dollars initiative that will see bridges and tunnels restored tracks, power systems and tracks upgraded, and stations rebuilt or replaced. The FRA's rail improvements program will be substantially increased by the recently approved bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The Office of Research, Development and Technology of the agency is a key element in this effort. Recent National Academies review of the office found that it excelled in engaging, maintaining communication and using inputs of a wide range of stakeholders. But it still needs to focus more on how its research aids in the department's main strategic goal of ensuring safe transportation of goods and people via rail.

The agency could enhance its efficiency by identifying and supporting automated train systems and technologies. The Association of American Railroads (AAR) is the main industry association for the freight rail industry that is focused on research, policy and standard setting and has established a Technical Advisory Group for Autonomous Train Operations in order to help create standards within the industry.

FRA is likely to be interested in the group's creation of an automated rail taxonomy. It is a standard that will clearly and consistently define different levels of automation that could be applicable to both on-road and rail transit vehicles. The agency will also need to understand the level of safety risk that the industry sees with implementing fully automated operation and whether the industry is considering additional safeguards to mitigate that risk.

Innovation

Railroads are adopting technology to improve worker safety and make business processes more efficient and ensure that the cargo that they transport arrives at its destination in good condition. These innovations vary from cameras and sensors that monitor freight, to new railcar designs that help keep dangerous cargo safe during transport. Certain of these technologies provide a way for railroads to send emergency responders to the scene of an accident so they can swiftly mitigate risks to property and people.

One of the most prominent innovations in rail is Positive Train Control (PTC) which will prevent train-to-train collisions, situations where trains are on tracks they shouldn't be and other accidents that result from human error. This system consists of three components of onboard locomotive systems that track the train; wayside networks that communicate with the locomotive and a huge server that analyzes and collects data.

Trains for passengers also adopt technology to increase security and safety. For instance, Amtrak is experimenting with the use of drones to assist security personnel in finding passengers and other items onboard trains in case in the event of an emergency. Amtrak is also investigating other ways to use drones, for instance, using drones to conduct inspections of bridges and other infrastructure, such as replacing the lighting on railway towers, which can be dangerous for workers to climb.

Smart track technology is another technology that can be used in railways for passengers. It is able to detect objects or people on tracks and alert drivers if it is unsafe to continue. These technologies are especially 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 allows railroads, shippers and other stakeholders to view the condition and status of a traincar via real-time tracking. Railcar operators and crews will benefit from increased accountability and visibility, which will help them to increase efficiency and avoid unnecessary maintenance. It will also help reduce delays when delivering freight.