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The Federal Railroad Administration and Technology

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

FRA inspectors on the ground make use of discretion to decide which cases are worthy of the lengthy and precise civil penalty process. This allows them to ensure that the most serious violations are penalized.

SMART-TD members and allies made history in 2024 by pushing the FRA to keep two people in the locomotive cab of freight trains. The fight isn't over.

Safety

The Federal Railroad Administration implements a number of safety measures to safeguard the health of employees and public. It is responsible for establishing and enforcing regulations for rail safety. It also manages rail funding and studies rail improvement strategies and technologies. It also develops plans, implements and maintains plans for the maintenance of the current infrastructure and services for rail. It also expands and improves strategically the national rail network. The department requires all railroad employers to adhere to strict rules and regulations, empower their workers and provide them with tools to succeed and stay safe. This includes participating 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 rail safety laws and regulations. They conduct routine inspections of equipment and conduct a multitude of investigations of complaints of noncompliance. Civil penalties are applied to those who break the rail safety laws. The safety inspectors of the agency are able to decide on the extent to which a particular violation meets the legal definition of a civil penalty-worthy act. Additionally the Office of Chief Counsel's security division reviews all reports received by regional offices for legal sufficiency before assessing penalties. The exercise of this discretion both at the regional and field 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 penalty.

A rail employee must be aware of the rules and regulations that govern his actions and knowingly disregard those rules to commit a criminal offense that is punishable by a civil penalty. However, the agency does not take any person who acts under a directive by a supervisor as having committed a willful violation. The agency defines the "general railroad system of transportation" as the entire system over which goods and passengers travel within cities and metropolitan areas, or between them. The trackage of a plant railroad at the steel mill isn't considered part of the general rail system of transportation even though it is physically connected to it.

Regulation

The Federal Railroad Administration is responsible to establish regulations for train operations including those related to safety and the movement of hazardous substances. The agency also oversees rail financing which includes loans and grants for infrastructure and service improvements. The agency collaborates with other DOT agencies and with industry to develop strategies for improving the country's railroad system. This includes ensuring the existing rail infrastructure and services, responding to the demands for new capacity, expanding the network strategically, as well as coordinating the regional and national system's development and planning.

While the majority of the agency's work is focused on freight transportation, it also oversees the transportation of passengers. The agency is working to provide more options for passenger travel and connect people to the places they'd like to travel to. The agency is focused on improving the passenger experience, improving the safety of the existing fleet, and ensuring the rail network continues to operate efficiently.

Railroads must abide by a variety of federal regulations, including those pertaining to the size of the crews on trains. This issue has become controversial in recent years, with some states passing legislation that requires two-person crews on trains. This final rule codifies the minimum requirements for crew size at a federal level, ensuring that all railroads are subject to the same safety standards.

This rule also requires that every railroad that has a one-person crew notify FRA and submit a risk analysis. This will allow FRA to assess the requirements of each operation to the parameters of a standard two-person crew operation. This rule also changes the review standard of an application for special approval from determining if an operation is "consistent" with railroad safety to determining if the operation is safer or less risky than a two-person crew operation.

During the time of public comment on this rule, a number of people voted for a requirement for two persons on the crew. A letter written 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 noted that human factors are responsible for a majority of railroad accidents. They believe that a larger crew will ensure the security of the train and its cargo.

Technology

Freight and passenger rails employ various technologies to increase efficiency, increase security, and improve safety. The language used in the rail industry contains a myriad of distinct terms and acronyms however, some of the most notable developments include machine vision systems, instrumented rail inspection systems, driverless trains, rolling data centers, and unmanned aerial vehicles (commonly known as drones).

Technology isn't just about replacing certain jobs. It helps people do their jobs better and more safely. Railroads for passengers use apps on smartphones and contactless fare cards in order to increase ridership and improve the efficiency of their system. Other innovations such as autonomous rail cars are moving closer to becoming reality.

The Federal Railroad Administration, as part of its ongoing efforts to promote safe, reliable, and affordable transportation in America, is focused on modernizing the rail infrastructure. This is a multi-billion dollars initiative that will see tunnels and bridges rebuilt tracks, power systems and tracks upgraded and stations rebuilt or upgraded. The FRA's rail improvements program will be significantly expanded by the recently passed bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The Office of Research, Development and Technology of the agency is an essential component in this effort. The National Academies' recent review of the office found that it excelled in engaging, maintaining communication with inputs from a variety of stakeholders. It is still required to consider how its research contributes towards the department's main goal of ensuring the safe movement of people and goods by railways.

One area in which the agency might be able to increase its effectiveness is in identifying and assisting the development of automated train technology and systems. The Association of American Railroads (AAR), the primary industry association for the freight rail industry that is focused on research and policy, as well as standard setting and has established a Technical Advisory Group for Autonomous Train Operations in order to help develop standards within the industry.

FRA is 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 will be applicable to both rail and on-road transit vehicles. The agency would like to know the amount of risk the industry sees in fully automated operation, and if the industry is considering any additional safeguards to minimize the risk.

Innovation

Railroads are using technology to improve worker safety and improve business processes. efficient, and ensure that the freight they move reaches its destination in good condition. These innovations vary from cameras and sensors that monitor freight to innovative railcar designs that keep hazardous cargo safe during transit. Some of these technologies even allow railroads to send emergency responders to areas of accidents so that they can quickly mitigate the damage and reduce the risk to property and people.

Positive Train Control (PTC) is one of the most significant developments in rail. It is designed to stop train-to-train accidents, instances where trains are on track they shouldn't, and other incidents caused by human error. The system is a three-part system comprised of onboard locomotive systems that track the train and wayside networks that communicate with the locomotive and a huge backend server that collects and analyzes data.

Trains for passengers are also adopting technology to bolster safety and security. Amtrak is one example. It is testing the use of drones in order to help security personnel on trains find passengers and other items in the event of an emergency. The company is also examining ways to use drones. They could be used to inspect bridges and other infrastructure, or to replace the lighting on railway towers that are dangerous for workers to climb.

Other technologies that can be used for passenger railroads include smart track technology that can detect the presence of people or objects on the tracks and send an alert to drivers when it's unsafe for them to proceed. These technologies are especially effective in detecting unsafe crossings or other problems in the evenings when the traffic is lower and there are less witnesses to an fela accident attorney.

Another significant technological advance in the railway industry is telematics which allows shippers, railroads and other stakeholders to see the condition and status of a traincar through real-time tracking. Traincar crews and operators can benefit from increased accountability and transparency which can help them improve efficiency as well as avoid unnecessary maintenance and reduce delays when delivering freight.