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The Federal Railroad Administration and Technology

The Federal Railroad Administration creates and enforces rail safety regulations The federal employers Railroad Administration also provides funding for rail and conducts research on strategies to improve rail infrastructure.

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 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 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 is responsible for creating and enforcing safety regulations for rail. It also manages rail funding, and studies rail improvement strategies and technologies. It also creates the implementation and maintenance of plans for the maintenance of the current infrastructure and services for rail. It also develops and improves the national rail network. The department expects all rail employers to adhere to the strictest rules and regulations, and empower their employees and provide them with the tools needed to be successful and safe. This includes participating in a confidential close-call reporting system, establishing labor-management occupational safety and health committees that have full-union participation and antiretaliation provisions and giving employees the necessary personal protective equipment.

FRA inspectors are at the forefront of enforcement of rail safety laws and regulations. They perform routine inspections on equipment and conduct investigations into hundreds of complaints. Civil penalties can be applied to those who break rail safety laws. Safety inspectors at the agency have a wide discretion to determine if violations fall within the statutory definition of an act that is punishable by civil penalties. Additionally the Office of Chief Counsel's safety department reviews all reports that are received by regional offices for legality before determining penalties. The exercise of this discretion at both the field and regional levels helps ensure that the lengthy, time-consuming civil penalty process is applied only in those situations that are truly deserving of the effect of a civil fine.

Rail employees must be aware of rules and regulations that govern their actions and be aware of the standards to commit a criminal offense that is punishable by a civil penalty. However the agency does not consider any individual who follows a directive by a supervisor as having committed a willful violation. The agency defines the "general railroad system of transportation" as the entire system that passengers and goods travel within metropolitan areas, or between them. The trackage of a plant railroad at the steel mill isn't considered to be part of the general rail system of transportation even being physically connected to it.

Regulation

The Federal Railroad Administration is responsible for establishing train regulations, such as those relating to safety and the transportation of hazardous substances. The agency also manages financing for rail including loans and grants for infrastructure and service improvements. The agency collaborates with other DOT agencies and with industry to devise strategies to improve the country's railroad system. This work includes maintaining current rail infrastructure and services and making sure that there is enough capacity strategically expanding the network and coordinating national and regional systems planning and development.

The agency is mostly responsible for freight transportation, but also supervises passenger transportation. The agency aims to connect people with the places they want and provide more alternatives for travel. The agency is focused primarily on enhancing the experience for passengers and enhancing the safety of the current fleet, and making sure that the rail network continues operating efficiently.

Railroads must comply with many federal regulations, including those related to the size of crews on trains. In recent times the issue has been a source of contention. Some states have passed legislation that requires two-person teams on trains. This final rule defines federally the minimum size crew requirements, ensuring that all railroads follow the same safety standards.

This rule also requires that each railroad operating a one-person crew notify FRA and submit a risk analysis. This will allow FRA to assess the requirements of each operation with the standard two-person crew operation. This rule also changes the review standard of an application for special approval from determining whether an operation is "consistent" with railroad safety to determining if the operation is as safe or more secure than a two-person crew operations.

During the public comment period on this rule, a large number of people backed the requirement of a two-person crew. A form letter sent by 29 individuals emphasized their concerns that a single crew member might not be as quick to respond to train malfunctions or grade crossing incidents or assist emergency response personnel at a highway rail grade crossing. Commenters emphasized that human factors are responsible for a majority of railroad accidents. They believe that a bigger crew could ensure the security of the train as well as its cargo.

Technology

Railroads that transport passengers and freight employ numerous technologies to enhance efficiency, increase safety, boost security and much more. The rail industry lingo includes a variety of unique terms and acronyms, however, some of the most notable innovations include machine vision systems, instrumentsed rail inspection systems, driverless trains rolling data centers and drones that are not piloted (commonly known as drones).

Technology isn't just replacing some jobs -- it's empowering people to perform their jobs better and safer. Railroads that transport passengers are using smartphone apps and contactless fare payment cards to improve ridership and improve the efficiency of the system. Other developments, like autonomous rail vehicles, are moving closer to reality.

The Federal Railroad Administration, as part of its ongoing efforts to improve secure, reliable, and affordable transportation in America is focusing on modernizing the rail infrastructure. This is a multi-billion dollar project that will see bridges and tunnels repaired tracks, power systems and tracks upgraded, and stations reconstructed or upgraded. The FRA's rail improvements program will be substantially expanded by the recently passed bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The Office of Research, Development and Technology of the agency is an essential element in this effort. The National Academies' recent review of the office concluded that it was successful in engaging, maintaining communication with and using inputs from a wide range of stakeholders. It is still required to focus on how its research contributes to the department's primary objective of ensuring the safety of people and goods via rail.

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

The FRA is interested in the group’s development of a taxonomy to describe automated rail vehicles, a system that defines clearly and consistently different levels of automation. This could be applicable to rail transit as well as on-road vehicles. The agency will also need to understand the level of safety risk that the industry perceives associated with the introduction of fully automated operation and whether or not the industry is considering adding additional security measures to reduce the risk.

Innovation

Rail companies are adopting new technologies to enhance worker safety, boost efficiency in business processes and ensure that the cargo they transport arrives at its destination intact. Examples of this technological advancement include the use of sensors and cameras to track freight, to the latest railcar designs that keep dangerous cargo safe during transport. Certain of these technologies allow railroads to dispatch emergency personnel directly to the scene of an accident to reduce the risk and minimize damages to property and individuals.

One of the most renowned innovations in rail is Positive Train Control (PTC) that will stop train-to-train collisions, situations where trains are on tracks they shouldn't be and other accidents resulting from human error. This system is a three-part system consisting of locomotives onboard that track the train and wayside networks that communicate with the locomotive and an enormous backend server that analyzes and collects data.

Passenger railroads are also embracing technology to improve security and safety. Amtrak is one example. It is experimenting with the use of drones in order to help security personnel on trains locate passengers and items in an emergency. The company is also exploring other possibilities to utilize drones, including deploying drones to conduct inspections of bridges and other infrastructure such as replacing the lights on railway towers that could be hazardous for workers to climb.

Other technologies that can be utilized for passenger railroads include smart track technology, which is able to detect the presence of people or objects on the tracks and send out an alert to drivers when it's unsafe to travel. 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 breakthrough in the railway industry is telematics which allows railroads, shippers and other stakeholders to monitor the condition and status of a traincar by real-time tracking. Railcar operators and crews can benefit from increased accountability and transparency which can help them improve efficiency and avoid unnecessary maintenance. It will also help delay in the delivery of freight.