Are You Getting The Most Value From Your Federal Railroad
The Federal Railroad Administration and Technology
The Federal Railroad Administration is responsible for safety regulations for rail and enforcement, rail funding, and research on improving rail strategies.
FRA field inspectors use discretion to determine which cases are worthy of the precise and lengthy civil penalty process. This discretion helps ensure that those violations most deserving of punishment are penalized.
Allies and members of SMART-TD made history in 2024 by pushing the FRA to ensure that two people are in the cabs of locomotives of freight trains. The fight isn't over.
Safety
The Federal Railroad Administration has a range of safety measures in place to ensure the health and Federal Employers Liability Act welfare of employees and the public. It creates and enforces safety regulations for rail, administers rail funding and studies strategies for improving rail infrastructure and technologies. It also formulates and implements a plan to ensure the current infrastructure, services, and capacity and strategically expands and enhances the national rail network. The department demands that all rail operators adhere to strict regulations, empower their employees and provide them with the tools to be secure and productive. This includes participating in an anonymous close-call reporting system, establishing labor-management occupational safety and health committees that have full union participation and antiretaliation provisions and providing employees with the required personal protective gear.
Inspectors of the FRA are at the forefront of enforcing safety on rail regulations and laws. They conduct regular inspections of equipment and conduct a multitude of investigations of complaints of non-compliance. Those who violate rail safety laws may be punished with civil penalties. Safety inspectors from the agency have a broad discretion on whether an individual violation is in line with the statutory definition of a crime that is punishable by civil penalties. Additionally, the Office of Chief Counsel's safety department examines all reports submitted by regional offices to determine legality before determining penalties. This discretion is exercised both at the regional and field levels to ensure that civil penalties are only used in situations that warrant them.
To be guilty of a civil infringement an employee of a railroad must be aware of the rules and regulations governing their actions. They must also knowingly disregard these standards. However the agency doesn't consider anyone who follows a directive from a supervisor as having committed an intentional violation. The agency defines the "general railroad system of transportation" as the entire network that passengers and goods travel within metropolitan areas and between them. The trackage of a plant railroad in a steel mill is not considered to be part of the overall transportation system that trains, even although it is physically connected to it.
Regulation
The Federal Railroad Administration sets train regulations, ranging from those related to safety and movement of hazardous materials. The agency is responsible for managing rail finance, which includes grants and loan to improve service and infrastructure. The agency collaborates with other DOT agencies and the industry to devise strategies to improve the nation's railroad system. This includes ensuring the existing rail infrastructure and services, addressing the need for capacity expansion and expanding the network strategically as well as coordinating the regional and national system's planning and development.
The agency is primarily responsible for freight transportation, but also manages passenger transportation. The agency is working to connect people with the places they want and provide more alternatives for travel. The agency is focused on improving the passenger experience, improving the safety of the existing fleet, and making sure that the rail network continues to operate efficiently.
Railroads must comply with a variety of federal regulations, including those relating to the size and composition of the train crews. In recent years, this issue has become controversial. Some states have passed legislation that requires two-person crews in trains. This final rule codifies the minimum requirements for crew size at the federal level, making sure that all railroads are subject to consistent safety standards.
This rule also requires that every railroad operating with a crew of one notify FRA and submit an analysis of risk. This will allow FRA to better understand the specific parameters of each operation and compare them with the parameters of a normal two-person crew operation. This rule also alters the criteria for reviewing a special approval request from determining if an operation is "consistent" with railroad safety standards to determining whether the operation is as safe or more secure than a two-person crew operations.
During the time of public comment on this rule, a large number of people expressed their support for a requirement of two persons on the crew. In a form letter 29 people voiced their concern that a single crewmember will not be in a position to respond as quickly to train malfunctions or incidents at grade crossings, or assist emergency response personnel at a highway-rail level crossing. Commenters pointed out that human factor Fela Railroad are responsible for a majority of railroad accidents. They believe that a larger crew could ensure the safety of the train as well as its cargo.
Technology
Trains for passenger and freight use different technologies to increase efficiency, increase security, and improve safety. Rail industry jargon covers a variety of unique terms and acronyms. Some of the most well-known include machine vision systems (also known as drones) instruments for rail-inspection systems driverless trains, rolling data centers, and unmanned aerial vehicle (also known as drones).
Technology isn't merely replacing jobs -- it's empowering individuals to perform their work more efficiently and with greater security. Railroads that transport passengers are using smartphone apps and contactless fare payment cards in order to boost ridership and make the system more efficient. Other developments, like autonomous rail vehicles, are inching closer to becoming a reality.
The Federal Railroad Administration, as part of its ongoing efforts to promote secure affordable, reliable, and secure transportation in America is focusing on modernizing the railway infrastructure. This is a multi-billion dollars project that will see tunnels and bridges repaired, tracks and power systems upgraded, and stations rebuilt or upgraded. FRA's recently passed bipartisan infrastructure law will significantly increase the agency's rail improvement programs.
The Office of Research, Development and Technology of the agency is a crucial component in this initiative. The National Academies' recent review of the office found that it excelled in engaging, maintaining communications using inputs from a broad range of stakeholders. However, it needs to focus more on how its research aids in the department's main strategic goal of ensuring safe movement of people and goods via railway.
One area where the agency may be able improve its effectiveness is in identifying and assisting the advancement of automated train systems and technologies. The Association of American Railroads (AAR) is the main industry association for the freight rail industry, which is focused on research policy, standard-setting and policy, established the Technical Advisory Group for Autonomous Train Operations in order to help develop standards within the industry.
The FRA is interested in the creation of a taxonomy for automated rail vehicles which defines clearly and consistently different levels of automation. This would apply to rail transit as well as vehicles on the road. The agency will also need to know the level of risk to safety that the industry sees with the introduction of fully automated operation and whether or not the industry is contemplating additional protections to minimize the risk.
Innovation
Rail companies are embracing technology to increase worker safety, increase efficiency in business processes, and ensure that the freight they transport reaches its destination in good condition. Examples of this kind of innovation range from the use of sensors and cameras to monitor freight, to new railcar designs that keep dangerous cargo safe during transport. Certain of these technologies offer railroads the ability to dispatch emergency personnel to the scene of an accident so they can swiftly reduce risks to property and people.
Positive Train Control (PTC) is one of the most important innovations in rail. It will prevent train-to-train accidents, situations when trains are in a position they shouldn't, and other incidents caused by human error. It is a three-part system comprised of onboard locomotive systems that track the train and wayside networks that communicate with the locomotive and an enormous backend server that analyzes and collects data.
Railroads that transport passengers also use technology to improve security and safety. For instance, Amtrak is experimenting with drones to aid security personnel in locating passengers and other items onboard trains in case of an emergency. The company is also exploring other possibilities to utilize drones, for instance, using drones to inspect bridges as well as other infrastructure, such as replacing the lights on railway towers, which could be dangerous for employers’ Liability Act fela workers to climb.
Smart track technology is a different technology that is used in passenger railroads. It can detect objects or people on tracks and alert drivers if it is unsafe to continue. These technologies are especially useful for detecting unauthorized crossings or other issues in the evenings when traffic is less and there are fewer witnesses to an accident.
Telematics is a significant technological advance in the rail industry. It lets railways, shippers, and other stakeholders, to track a traincar in real-time. These capabilities provide railcar operators and their crews more accountability and visibility and can aid in improving efficiency, avoid unnecessary maintenance and avoid delays in the delivery of freight to customers.
