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The Federal Railroad Administration and Technology The Federal Railroad Administration is responsible for safety regulations for rail and enforcement, as well as funding for rail, and research on rail improvement strategies. FRA field inspectors make use of discretion to decide on which cases warrant the exact and time consuming civil penalty process. This allows them to ensure that the most serious violations are punished. SMART-TD and its allies made history by 2024 when they convinced the FRA that two persons should be allowed to sit in the cabs of freight locomotives. trains. The fight isn't over. Safety The Federal Railroad Administration has a variety of safety measures in place to safeguard the health and safety of its employees and the general public. It formulates and enforces rail safety regulations as well as manages funding for rail and researches strategies for improving rail and technology. It also develops and implements a strategy to ensure that current infrastructure, rail services and capacity, and strategically expands and improves the national rail network. The department expects all railroad employers to abide by strict rules and regulations, and empower their employees and provide them with the tools to succeed and stay secure. This includes participating in a confidential close-call reporting system, setting up labor-management occupational safety and health committees that have full union participation and antiretaliation provisions and providing employees with the required personal protective gear. FRA inspectors are on the front lines of enforcement of the rail safety laws and regulations. They conduct regular inspections of equipment and conduct a myriad of investigations of complaints of non-compliance. Anyone who is in violation of rail safety laws may be penalized civilly. Safety inspectors at the agency have a broad decision-making power to determine if a violation falls under the legal definition of an act punishable with civil penalties. The Office of Chief Counsel’s safety division also reviews all reports that regional offices submit to determine if they are legal prior to imposing penalties. The exercise of this discretion at the field and regional levels ensures that the lengthy, time-consuming civil penalty process is utilized only in those situations that are truly deserving of the effect of a civil penalty. A rail employee must be aware of the rules and regulations that govern their actions and knowingly disregard those rules to commit a criminal offense that is punishable by a civil penalty. However, the agency does not consider anyone who is acting under a direction from a supervisor to have committed an intentional violation. The agency defines the “general railroad system of transportation” as the whole network that allows passengers and goods to travel within metropolitan areas and between them. The trackage of a plant railroad within the steel mill 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 regulations for trains including those related to safety and the transportation of hazardous substances. The agency also manages financing for rail including loans and grants for improvements to infrastructure and service. The agency collaborates with other DOT agencies as well as industry to devise strategies to improve the nation's rail system. This includes maintaining current rail infrastructure and services as well as addressing the need for new capacity, strategically expanding the network, and coordinating national and regional systems planning and development. While the majority of the agency's activities are focused on freight transportation, it also oversees passenger transportation. The agency aims to connect people to places they want and provide more alternatives for travel. The agency is focused on improving the passenger experience, increasing the safety of the current fleet, and ensuring that the railway system continues to function efficiently. Railroads are required to comply with a range of federal regulations, which include those that deal with the size and composition of crews on trains. This is a controversial one in recent years, with some states passing legislation that requires two-person crews on trains. The final rule codifies the minimum size of crew requirements at an international level, and ensures that all railroads are subject to the same safety standards. This rule also requires each railroad that operates one-person train crews to notify FRA of the operation and submit a risk assessment. This will allow FRA to better identify the specifics of each operation and compare them to the parameters of a normal two-person crew operation. In addition, this rule changes the review standard for the special approval petition from to determining whether an operation is “consistent with railroad safety” to determining if approving the operation would be as safer or more secure than an operation with two crew members. During the period of public comments for this rule, a number of people voted for a requirement of two people on the crew. A letter from 29 people outlined their concerns that a single crew member might not be as quick to respond to train-related malfunctions or crossing incidents or assist emergency response personnel at a highway-rail grade crossing. The commenters emphasized that human factors are responsible for more than half all railroad accidents and believe that a larger crew would help ensure the safety of both the train and its cargo. Technology Freight and passenger rails employ various technologies to increase efficiency, enhance security, and increase safety. The rail industry vernacular contains a myriad of specific terms and acronyms, however, 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 replacing some jobs, it's also empowering people to perform their jobs more efficiently and with greater security. Railroads that transport passengers use smartphones and contactless fare cards to increase ridership and improve the efficiency of their system. Other innovations like autonomous rail cars are getting closer to reality. The Federal Railroad Administration, as part of its ongoing efforts to improve secure affordable, reliable, and secure transportation in America, is focused on modernizing the railway infrastructure. This multi-billion-dollar project will see bridges, tunnels, tracks and power systems upgraded and stations being rebuilt or replaced. The FRA's rail improvement program will be substantially expanded by the recently passed bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The agency's Office of Research, Development and Technology is a key component of this effort. Recent National Academies review of the office revealed that it was successful in engaging with, maintaining communication and utilizing inputs from a variety of stakeholders. It is still required to be aware of how its research contributes towards the department's primary objective of ensuring safe movement of people and goods by rail. The agency could improve its effectiveness by identifying and supporting automated train systems and technologies. The Association of American Railroads, the freight rail industry's primary industry organization that focuses on research, policy and standard-setting the Technical Advisory Group on Autonomous Train Operations to help in developing industry standards to implement the technology. fela claims railroad employees will be interested in the development of an automated rail taxonomy, a standardization system that can clearly and consistently define different levels of automation that could be applicable to both rail and on-road transit vehicles. The agency would like to know the level of risk that the industry sees in fully automated operation, and if the industry is considering any additional safeguards to minimize the risk. Innovation Rail companies are adopting technology to increase worker safety, improve efficiency in business processes and ensure that the cargo they transport arrives at its destination intact. Examples of such technological advancement include the use of sensors and cameras to track freight, to the latest railcar designs that keep hazardous cargo secure during transit. Some of these technologies even provide a way for railroads to dispatch emergency personnel to locations of accidents so they can swiftly reduce damage and minimize risk to people and property. 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 that shouldn't be, and other accidents resulting from human error. The system is comprised of three parts consisting of locomotives onboard that track the train; wayside networks that communicate with the locomotive and a massive server that gathers and analyzes data. Railroads that transport passengers are also embracing technology to improve safety and security. For instance, Amtrak is experimenting with drones to aid security personnel in locating passengers and items on board trains in the event in an emergency. The company is also examining ways to utilize drones. They could be used to inspect bridges and other infrastructure or to replace the lights on railway towers, which are dangerous for workers to climb. Smart track technology is another technology that can be utilized in railways that transport passengers. It can detect people or objects on tracks and alert drivers that it is unsafe to continue. These kinds of technology are especially beneficial in detecting unsafe crossings 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 yet another significant technological breakthrough in the rail industry. It allows railways, shippers and other stakeholders, to track a traincar in real-time. Traincar crews and operators will benefit from increased accountability and transparency which will allow them increase efficiency as well as avoid unnecessary maintenance and delay in the delivery of freight.