Notes

15 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Overlook Federal Railroad
The Federal Railroad Administration and Technology

The Federal Railroad Administration creates and enforces rail safety regulations It also provides rail funding and studies strategies for improving rail safety.

FRA inspectors on the ground make use of discretion to determine which cases are worthy of the lengthy and precise civil penalty process. This discretion helps 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 cabs of locomotives of freight trains. The fight is not over.

Safety

The Federal Railroad Administration has a variety of safety measures in place to safeguard the health and welfare of its employees and the general public. It is responsible for creating and enforcing regulations for rail safety. It also manages rail funding and studies rail improvement strategies and technological developments. It also formulates and implements a plan to ensure the current rail services, infrastructure and capacity and strategically expands and improves the national rail network. The department expects all rail companies to adhere to strict rules and regulations, and empower their employees and provide them with tools needed to be successful and safe. This includes participation in the secure close call reporting system, setting up occupational health and safety committees with full participation from unions and anti-retaliation protections and providing employees with personal protection equipment.

FRA inspectors are on the front lines of enforcement of railway safety laws and regulations. fela settlements conduct routine inspections of equipment and conduct hundreds of investigations into complaints of non-compliance. Anyone who violates the safety rules for rail can be punished with civil penalties. The agency's safety inspectors 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 safety 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 ensures that the exacting, time-consuming civil penalty process is utilized only in situations that are truly deserving of the effect of a civil penalty.

A rail worker must be aware of rules and regulations that govern his or her actions, and not knowingly violate those rules to commit a criminal offense that is punishable by a civil penalty. The agency does not believe that an individual who acts on a supervisor's directive is guilty of committing a willful crime. The agency defines "general railroad system" as the whole network that carries goods and passengers between cities and metropolitan areas. The trackage of a plant railroad within the steel mill is not considered to be part of the general rail transportation system, even though it is physically connected.

Regulation

The Federal Railroad Administration sets train regulations, including those pertaining to safety and movement of hazardous materials. The agency manages rail finance, which includes grants and loan for infrastructure and service improvement. The agency collaborates with other DOT agencies and industry to devise strategies for improving the nation's rail infrastructure. This includes ensuring the existing rail infrastructure and services, in addition to addressing the need for additional capacity strategically expanding the network, as well as coordinating regional and national systems planning and development.

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


Railroads must comply with a variety of federal regulations, including those relating to the size and composition of the train crews. This issue has become a controversial one in recent years, with some states enacting legislation that requires two-person crews on trains. This final rule codifies the minimum crew size requirements at a federal level, ensuring that all railroads are subject to consistent safety standards.

This also requires every railroad that operates a one-person train crew to notify FRA of the operation and submit an assessment of risk. This will allow FRA to better identify the specifics of each operation and compare them to those of a typical two-person crew operation. This rule also alters the criteria for reviewing an approval request that is a special case from determining whether an operation is "consistent" with railroad safety standards to determining whether the operation is as secure or safer than two-person crew operation.

During the time of public comment on this rule, a large number of people expressed their support for a requirement for two persons on the crew. In a formal letter 29 people expressed their concerns that a single crew member would not be capable of responding as quickly to train accidents or malfunctions at grade crossings, or assist emergency personnel on a highway-rail level crossing. Commenters emphasized that human factor are responsible for more than half all railroad accidents. They believe that a bigger crew could ensure the safety of the train and its cargo.

Technology

Freight and passenger rails employ various technologies to increase efficiency, improve security, and improve safety. The rail industry vernacular includes a variety of unique terms and acronyms, but some of the more significant developments include machine vision systems, instrumentsed rail inspection systems, driverless trains, rolling data centers, and unmanned aerial vehicles (commonly called drones).

Technology isn't just replacing some jobs, it's also empowering people to do their job more efficiently and with greater security. Railroads that transport passengers are using smartphones and contactless fare payment cards to improve ridership and improve the efficiency of the system. Other innovations such as autonomous rail cars are moving closer to becoming reality.

As part of its ongoing efforts to advance safe, reliable, and affordable transportation for the nation In its ongoing effort to ensure safe, reliable and affordable transportation for the nation, the Federal Railroad Administration is focused on modernizing its rail infrastructure. This multi-billion-dollar project will see tunnels, bridges, tracks and power systems updated, and stations rebuilt or replace. FRA's recently passed bipartisan infrastructure law will dramatically increase the agency's rail improvement programs.

The Office of Research, Development and Technology of the agency is an essential component in this effort. The most recent National Academies review of the office found that it excelled in engaging with, maintaining communication and utilizing inputs from a variety of stakeholders. However, it needs to concentrate on how its research aids in the department's main strategic goal of ensuring the safe movement of goods and people via railway.

The agency could improve its effectiveness by identifying and implementing automated train systems and technology. The Association of American Railroads (AAR) is the principal industry association for the freight rail industry, which focuses on research policy, standard-setting and policy, established an Technical Advisory Group for Autonomous Train Operations to help establish standards for the industry.

The FRA is interested in the creation of a taxonomy for 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 need to know the level of risk the industry perceives with fully automated operation, as well as whether the industry is considering additional measures to mitigate the risk.

Innovation

Railroads are using technology to boost worker safety, make business processes more efficient, and ensure that the cargo they move reaches its destination safely. Examples of this kind of technological advancement vary from the use cameras and sensors to monitor freight, to new railcar designs that help keep hazardous cargo secure during transit. Certain of these technologies enable railroads to dispatch emergency personnel directly to accident sites to reduce the risk and damages to property and individuals.

One of the most prominent innovations in rail is Positive Train Control (PTC) that will stop collisions between trains and trains, situations in which trains are on tracks that shouldn't be, as well as other accidents that are caused by human mistakes. It is a three-part process consisting of onboard locomotive systems that track the train and wayside networks that communicate with the locomotive and a massive backend server that collects and analyzes data.

Trains for passengers also adopt technology to improve security and safety. Amtrak for instance, is testing the use of drones to assist train security staff find passengers and other items in the event of an emergency. The company is also exploring ways to utilize 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.

Smart track technology is another technology that is used in railways that transport passengers. It is able to detect people or objects on tracks and alert drivers that it is unsafe to continue. These types of technologies are particularly valuable for detecting unauthorized crossings as well as other issues that can arise during times when traffic is at its lowest and fewer people are around to witness an accident.

Telematics is a significant technological advance in the railway industry. It allows railways, shippers and other stakeholders to track a traincar in real-time. Railcar operators and crews can benefit from increased accountability and visibility which will allow them increase efficiency and avoid unnecessary maintenance. It will also help reduce delays when delivering freight.

Read More: https://vimeo.com/708475427