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The Federal Railroad Administration and Technology

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

FRA inspectors on the ground employ discretion to determine which cases are worthy of the time-consuming and precise civil penalty process. This ensures that those violations most deserving of punishment are penalized.

SMART-TD members and allies made history in 2024 when they began pushing the FRA to allow two people in the locomotive cab of freight trains. The fight is not over.

Safety

The Federal Railroad Administration implements a variety of safety measures to safeguard the health of employees and public. It is responsible for developing and enforcing safety regulations for rail. It also administers the funding for rail and conducts research on improvements to rail strategies and technological developments. It also creates, implements and maintains plans for the maintenance of the current infrastructure and services for rail. It also develops and improves the rail network across the nation. The department requires all rail companies to adhere to strict rules and regulations, empower their employees and provide them with the tools to succeed and stay safe. This includes participating in the confidential close-call reporting system, establishing occupational health and safety committees with full union participation and anti-retaliation protections and providing employees with personal protective equipment.

Inspectors of the FRA are at the forefront of enforcing rail safety regulations and laws. They conduct regular inspections of equipment and conduct a myriad of investigations of complaints of noncompliance. Anyone who violates the safety rules for rail can be punished with civil penalties. Safety inspectors from the agency have broad discretion over whether a particular violation meets the legal definition of a criminal penalty-worthy act. In addition the Office of Chief Counsel's safety department reviews all reports that are received by regional offices for legal sufficiency before assessing penalties. This discretion is exercised at both the field and regional levels to ensure that civil penalties are only applied in situations that warrant them.

To be guilty of a civil infringement the employee of a rail company must know the rules and regulations governing their actions. They also must be aware that they not adhere to these rules. The agency does not consider an individual who acted upon a directive from a supervisor is guilty of committing a willful crime. The agency defines the "general railroad system of transportation" as the whole network over which goods and passengers travel within metropolitan areas, or between them. The trackage of a plant railroad at a steel mill is not considered to be part of the overall transportation system that trains, even though it is physically connected to it.

Regulation

The federal employers liability act Railroad Administration is responsible for establishing train regulations including those related to safety and the movement of dangerous substances. The agency oversees rail finance, including loans and grants for infrastructure and service improvement. The agency works with other DOT agencies and industry to devise strategies for improving the nation's rail system. This includes ensuring the current rail services and infrastructure and making sure that there is enough capacity and strategically expanding the network and coordinating regional and national systems planning and development.

The agency is responsible for freight transport, but also supervises passenger transportation. The agency is working to provide more options for passenger travel and connect passengers with the places they'd like to travel to. The agency is focused on enhancing the passenger experience and improving the safety of the current fleet, and ensuring that the railway system continues to function efficiently.

Railroads must comply with a variety of federal regulations, including those that deal with the size and composition of crews on trains. In recent times the issue has become a source of controversy. Certain states have passed legislation that requires two-person crews in trains. This final rule establishes federally the minimum size of crew requirements, making sure that all railroads adhere to the same safety standards.

This rule also requires each railroad operating a one-person train crew to inform FRA of the operation and submit a risk assessment. This will allow FRA to better identify the specific parameters of each operation and compare them with the parameters of a standard two-person crew operation. This rule also changes the standard for reviewing an application for special approval from determining if an operation is "consistent" with railroad safety, to determining if the operation is as safe or more secure than a two-person crew operation.

During the period of public comment on this rule, a large number of people expressed their support for a requirement for a two person crew. In a form letter, 29 people expressed their concern that a single crew member is not able to respond in a timely manner to train accidents or malfunctions at grade crossings, or assist emergency response personnel at a highway-rail level crossing. Commenters noted that human factors are the reason for more than half all railroad accidents. They believe that a bigger crew would ensure the security of the train and its cargo.

Technology

Freight and passenger rails use various technologies to improve efficiency, improve security, and increase safety. Rail industry jargon covers many unique terms and acronyms. Some of the most notable include machine vision systems (also called drones) and rail-inspection systems that are instrumented, driverless train, rolling data centers, and unmanned aerial vehicles (also known as drones).

Technology isn't merely replacing jobs -- it's empowering people to perform their jobs more efficiently and with greater security. Railroads that transport passengers are using smartphone apps and contactless fare payment cards to increase ridership and make the system more efficient. Other innovations, such as autonomous rail vehicles, are inching closer to reality.

As part of its ongoing effort to improve 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 is a multi-billion dollars effort that will see bridges and tunnels rebuilt, tracks and power systems upgraded, and stations rebuilt or replaced. FRA's recently passed bipartisan infrastructure law will significantly grow the agency's rail improvement programs.

The agency's Office of Research, Development and Technology is a major element in this initiative. The most recent National Academies review of the office found it excelled at engaging with, maintaining communication and utilizing inputs of a wide range of stakeholders. It is still required to be aware of how its research contributes to the department's main goal of ensuring the safe movement of people and goods via rail.

The agency could enhance its efficiency by identifying and implementing automated train systems and technologies. The Association of American Railroads (AAR) is the main industry association for the freight rail industry that is focused on research and policy, as well as standard setting, established a Technical Advisory Group for Autonomous Train Operations to help create standards within the industry.

FRA is interested in the creation 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 will need to know the amount of risk that the industry perceives with fully automated operation, and if the industry is contemplating any additional measures to mitigate that risk.

Innovation

Rail companies are adopting new technologies to improve worker safety, increase efficiency in business processes and ensure that the freight they transport is delivered in good condition. Examples of such innovation range from the use of cameras and sensors to track freight, to the latest railcar designs that help keep hazardous cargo safe during transit. Some of these technologies provide a way for railroads to dispatch emergency personnel to the scene of an accident so they can swiftly mitigate damage and minimize risk to people and property.

Positive Train Control (PTC) is one of the most significant innovations in rail. It will keep train-to-train accidents out of the way, as well as situations where trains are on track they shouldn't and other accidents caused by human errors. It is a three-part system consisting of onboard locomotive systems that track the train, wayside networks that communicate with the locomotive and an enormous backend server that collects and analyzes data.

Passenger railroads are also embracing technology to enhance security and safety. For instance, Amtrak is experimenting with the use of drones to assist security personnel in locating passengers and other items aboard trains in the event of an emergency. Amtrak is also investigating other possibilities to utilize drones, for instance, using drones to conduct inspections of bridges and other infrastructure, such as replacing the lighting on railway towers, which could be dangerous for workers to climb.

Other technologies that could be utilized for railways for passengers include smart track technology, which can detect the presence of people or objects on the tracks and send drivers with a warning if it's unsafe for them to proceed. These kinds of technologies can be particularly valuable for detecting unauthorized crossings and other problems during times when traffic levels are lower and fewer people are around to witness an accident.

Another significant technological advance in the railway industry is telematics which enables railroads, shippers and other stakeholders to see the status and condition of a traincar by real-time tracking. These capabilities give railcar owners and crews better control and visibility. They can also aid in improving efficiency, avoid unnecessary maintenance and reduce delays in delivering freight to customers.