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The Federal Railroad Administration and Technology

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

FRA inspectors on the ground use discretion to decide which cases are worthy of the time-consuming and precise civil penalty procedure. This helps ensure that the most serious violations are penalized.

Allies and members of SMART-TD have made history in 2024 by pushing the FRA to keep two people in the cabs of locomotives of freight trains. The fight continues.

Safety

The fela federal employers liability act Railroad Administration implements a variety of safety measures to protect the health of employees as well as the public. It is responsible for establishing and enforcing regulations for rail safety. It also manages rail funding and conducts research on rail improvement strategies and technology. It also formulates the implementation and maintenance of a plan for maintaining the current rail infrastructure and services. It also works to expand and improve the rail network across the nation. The department expects all railroad employers to adhere to strict rules and regulations, and empower their employees and provide them with tools to be successful and safe. This includes taking part in the confidential close call reporting system, setting up occupational health and safety committees with full union participation, as well as anti-retaliation safeguards, and providing employees with the necessary personal safety equipment.

FRA inspectors are at the forefront of enforcement of the rail safety laws and regulations. They conduct routine inspections of equipment and investigate hundreds of complaints. Civil penalties are handed out to those who violate rail safety laws. The agency's safety inspectors are able to decide on the extent to which an incident falls within the statutory description of a crime that is punishable by civil penalties. In addition, the Office of Chief Counsel's safety division reviews all reports received from regional offices to determine their legality before determining penalties. The exercise of this discretion at both the field and regional levels ensures that the exacting, time-consuming civil penalty process is applied only in those situations that are truly deserving of the impact of a civil penalty.

A rail worker must be aware of the rules and regulations that govern his actions and knowingly disregard those standards to commit a civil penalty-worthy offense. However, the agency does not take any person who is acting under a direction from a supervisor as having committed a willful 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 within the steelmill isn't considered to be part of the overall rail transportation system, despite the fact that it's physically connected.

Regulation

The Federal Railroad Administration is responsible for establishing regulations for trains that pertain to safety and the movement of dangerous substances. The agency oversees rail finance, including grants and loan for service and infrastructure improvement. The agency works with other DOT agencies and industry to develop strategies for improving the nation's rail system. This includes ensuring the current rail services and infrastructure as well as in addition to addressing the need for additional capacity strategically expanding the network, and coordinating national and regional systems planning and development.

Although the majority of the agency's activities are focused on freight transportation, it also oversees passenger transportation. The agency is working to offer more options for passengers and connect people with the places they want to travel to. The agency is focused primarily on improving the experience of passengers as well as enhancing the safety of its 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. This issue has become an issue of contention in recent years, with a few states passing legislation to require two-person crews on trains. This final rule establishes federally the minimum crew size requirements, making sure that all railroads adhere to the same safety standards.

This also requires every railroad operating a single-person train crew to inform FRA of the operation and submit an assessment of risk. This will allow FRA to better understand the specific parameters of each operation and compare them to the typical two-person crew operation. Additionally, this rule changes the review standard for a special approval petition from determining whether the operation is "consistent with railroad safety" to determining whether approving the operation would be as safe or safer than a two-crewmember operation.

During the public comment period for this rule, a lot of people supported a two-person crew requirement. A letter from 29 people expressed their concern that a lone crewmember could not be as quick to respond to issues with trains or grade crossing incidents, or assist emergency responders at a highway-rail grade crossing. The commenters emphasized that human factors account for more than half railroad accidents and they believe that a larger team could help ensure the safety of the train and the cargo it transports.

Technology

Freight and passenger rails employ various technologies to increase efficiency, increase safety, and boost security. Rail industry jargon covers various distinct terms and acronyms. Some of the most prominent include machine vision systems (also known as drones) instruments for rail-inspection systems, driverless train rolling data centers and unmanned aerial vehicles (also called drones).

Technology isn't just replacing certain jobs -- it's empowering individuals to perform their work more efficiently and with greater security. Railroads that transport passengers are using smartphones and contactless fare payment cards in order to boost ridership and make the system more efficient. Other innovations, like autonomous rail vehicles, are inching closer to becoming a reality.

As part of its ongoing efforts to advance safe, reliable and affordable transportation options for the country, the Federal Railroad Administration is focused on modernizing its rail infrastructure. This is a multi-billion dollar effort that will see tunnels and bridges restored as well as tracks and power systems upgraded, and stations rebuilt or upgraded. The FRA's rail improvement program will be significantly increased by the recently approved bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The Office of Research, Development and Technology of the agency is a crucial component in this initiative. Recent National Academies review of the office found that it excelled in engaging, maintaining communication and using inputs from a variety of stakeholders. It must continue to be aware of how its research contributes to the department's main goal of ensuring the safety of people and goods by railways.

One area in which the agency may be able improve its effectiveness is in identifying and supporting the development of automated train systems and technologies. The Association of American Railroads (AAR), the primary industry association for the freight rail industry that focuses on research policy, standard-setting and policy and has established an Technical Advisory Group for Autonomous Train Operations to help create standards within the industry.

FRA is interested in the group's development of an automated rail taxonomy. It is a standardization system that can clearly and consistently define different levels of automation that will be applicable to both rail and on-road transit vehicles. The agency will need to know the level of risk that the industry sees in fully automated operation, and if the industry is considering additional measures to mitigate the risk.

Innovation

Rail companies are embracing technology to enhance worker safety, increase efficiency in business processes, and ensure that the cargo they transport is delivered in good condition. These innovations range from sensors and cameras that monitor freight to new railcar designs that keep hazardous cargo safe during transportation. Some of these technologies even provide a way for railroads to send emergency responders to the scene of an accident so they can quickly mitigate the damage and reduce the risk to property and lives.

One of the most well-known innovations in rail is Positive Train Control (PTC) which will prevent collisions between trains and trains, situations in which trains are on tracks that shouldn't be, and other accidents that are caused by human error. This system is a three-part system comprised of onboard locomotive systems that track the train, wayside networks that communicate with the locomotive and a huge backend server that collects and analyzes data.

Railroads that transport passengers also use technology to enhance security and safety. Amtrak, for example, is experimenting with drones to assist security personnel on trains locate passengers and items in an emergency. Amtrak is also looking into ways to use 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.

Smart track technology is a different technology that can be utilized in railways for passengers. It can detect objects or people on tracks and warn drivers if it is unsafe to continue. These types of technologies can be particularly useful in detecting crossings that are not authorized and other issues during times when traffic is at its lowest and there are fewer people around to witness an accident.

Another significant technological advance in the rail industry is telematics which allows shippers, railroads and other stakeholders to monitor the condition and status of a traincar through real-time tracking. Railcar operators and crews can benefit from greater accountability and visibility, which will help them improve efficiency, avoid unnecessary maintenance and reduce delays when delivering freight.