The Federal Railroad Administration and Technology
The Federal Railroad Administration creates and enforces safety regulations for rail The Federal Railroad Administration also provides funding for rail and studies strategies for improving rail safety.
FRA inspectors on the ground use discretion to determine which cases merit the time-consuming and precise civil penalty process. This discretion helps to ensure that the most serious violations are punished.
Allies and members of SMART-TD made history in 2024 by pushing the FRA to ensure that two people are in the locomotive cab of freight trains. The fight isn't over.
Safety
The Federal Railroad Administration has a range of safety measures in place to safeguard the safety and health of employees as well as the general public. It is responsible for creating and enforcing regulations for rail safety. It also administers rail funding and conducts research on improvements to rail strategies and technologies. It also creates and implements a plan to ensure the current rail services, infrastructure and capacity, and strategically expands and enhances the national rail network. The department requires that all rail employers adhere to strict guidelines that empower their employees and provide them with tools to be secure and productive. This includes taking part in the confidential close-call reporting system, setting up labor-management occupational health and safety committees that have full participation from unions and anti-retaliation safeguards, and providing employees with needed personal protection equipment.
Inspectors of the FRA are at the forefront of enforcing safety on rail laws and regulations. They conduct routine inspections of equipment and conduct a multitude of investigations into complaints of noncompliance. Civil penalties are applied to those who break the rail safety laws. Safety inspectors from the agency have broad discretion over whether an individual violation is in line with the statutory 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 that they are legal prior to imposing penalties. The exercise of this discretion both at the field and regional levels helps ensure that the lengthy, time-consuming civil penalty process is used only in cases that are truly deserving of the effect of a civil penalty.
To be considered guilty of a civil infringement an employee of a railroad must know the rules and regulations that govern the conduct of his or her employees. fela lawyer must be aware that they disregard these standards. However the agency doesn't consider any individual who acts under a directive from a supervisor to have committed a willful violation. The agency defines the "general railroad system of transportation" as the whole network over which goods and passengers travel within metropolitan and city areas or between them. A plant railroad's trackage in a steel mill is not considered part of the general rail system of transportation even though it is physically connected to it.
Regulation
The Federal Railroad Administration sets train regulations, including those related to safety and movement of hazardous materials. 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 infrastructure. This work includes maintaining existing rail infrastructure and services as well as addressing the need for new capacity, strategically expanding the network as well as coordinating regional and national systems planning and development.
Although the majority of the agency's activities are focused on freight transportation, it also oversees the transportation of passengers. The agency is working to provide more options for passenger travel and connect passengers with the places they'd like to travel to. The agency is focused on enhancing the passenger experience, improving the safety of the existing fleet, and ensuring the rail network continues to operate efficiently.
Railroads must comply with many federal regulations, relating to the size of crews on trains. This issue has become a controversial one in recent years, with a few 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 adhere to the same safety standards.
This rule also requires each 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 understand the specifics of each operation and compare them with those of a normal two-person crew operation. In addition, this rule changes the criteria for reviewing a special approval petition from determining whether the operation is "consistent with railroad safety" to determining whether approving the operation would be as safer or more secure than a two-crewmember operation.
During the time of public comments for this rule, a large number of people expressed their support for a requirement of a two person crew. A form letter sent by 29 people outlined their concerns that a single crew member would not be as quick to respond to train-related malfunctions or crossing incidents or assist emergency response personnel at a highway-rail grade crossing. Commenters emphasized that human factors are responsible for more than half all railroad accidents. They believe that a larger team will ensure the safety of the train and its cargo.
Technology
Railroads that transport passengers and freight employ various technologies to enhance efficiency, improve security, improve safety and much more. The language used in the rail industry includes a variety of distinct terms and acronyms but some of the more notable 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 replacing certain jobs; it's helping people to perform their jobs more efficiently and with greater security. Passenger railroads are using smartphone apps and contactless fare payment cards to increase ridership and make the system more efficient. Other innovations such as autonomous rail cars are getting closer to becoming reality.
The Federal Railroad Administration, as part of its ongoing efforts to promote secure, reliable, and affordable transportation in America is focusing on modernizing the railway infrastructure. This multi-billion-dollar effort will see bridges, tunnels, tracks and power systems updated, and stations rebuilt or replace. FRA's recently enacted bipartisan infrastructure law will substantially expand the agency's rail improvements programs.
The Office of Research, Development and Technology of the agency is an essential part of this initiative. 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 range of stakeholders. It must continue to be aware of how its research contributes towards the department's primary objective of ensuring the safety of people and goods via railways.
The agency could enhance its efficiency by identifying and supporting automated train systems and technology. The Association of American Railroads, the main freight rail industry association that focuses on research, policy and standard-setting and has created a Technical Advisory Group on Autonomous Train Operations to help in developing industry standards for the implementation of the technology.
The FRA is interested in the development of a taxonomy for automated rail vehicles which defines clearly and consistently the different levels of automation. This would apply to both rail transit and vehicles on the road. The agency would like to know the degree of risk the industry sees in fully automated operation, and if the industry is contemplating any additional safeguards to reduce that risk.
Innovation
Rail companies are adopting new technologies to enhance worker safety, boost efficiency in business processes, and ensure that the cargo they transport is delivered in good condition. These innovations vary from cameras and sensors that monitor freight, to new railcar designs which keep hazardous cargo safe during transportation. Certain of these technologies enable 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 well-known innovations in rail is Positive Train Control (PTC), which will inhibit collisions between trains and trains, situations in which trains are on tracks where they shouldn't be and other accidents resulting from human mistakes. The system is a three-part system consisting of locomotives onboard that track the train and wayside networks that connect with the locomotive, and a huge backend server that analyzes and collects data.
Trains for passengers are also adopting technology to enhance security and safety. For instance, Amtrak is experimenting with the use of drones to assist passenger security staff in locating passengers and other items aboard trains in the event in an emergency. Amtrak is also looking into ways to make use of drones. They could be used to check bridges and other infrastructure, or to replace the lights on railway towers that are hazardous for workers to climb.
Other technologies that could be utilized for passenger railroads include smart track technology, which is able to 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 technology are especially useful in detecting crossings that are not authorized as well as other issues that can arise during times when traffic volumes are lowest and there are fewer people to witness an accident.
Another significant technological advance in the railway industry is telematics which allows railroads, shippers and other stakeholders to view the condition and status of a traincar by real-time tracking. Railcar operators and crews can benefit from increased accountability and visibility which will allow them increase efficiency as well as avoid unnecessary maintenance and delay in the delivery of freight.