The Federal Railroad Administration and Technology

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

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.

Members of SMART-TD and their allies made history in 2024 by pushing the FRA to ensure that two people are in the cabs of locomotives of freight trains. The fight continues.

Safety

The Federal Railroad Administration implements a variety of safety measures to ensure the health of employees and public. It formulates and enforces regulations for rail safety and oversees the funding for rail. It also studies strategies for improving rail infrastructure and new technologies. It also creates the implementation and maintenance of plans for the maintenance of current rail services and infrastructure. It also develops and improves the rail network across the nation. The department expects all railroad employers to adhere to the strictest rules and regulations, empower their employees and provide them with tools to succeed and stay safe. This includes participating in the confidential close call reporting system, setting up occupational health and safety committees that have full union participation and anti-retaliation safeguards, and providing employees with the necessary personal protective equipment.

Inspectors of the FRA are at the forefront of enforcing safety on rail regulations and laws. They conduct routine inspections of equipment and conduct hundreds of investigations into complaints of noncompliance. Civil penalties may be handed out to those who violate railroad safety laws. Safety inspectors at the agency have a wide discretion to determine if violations fall within the statutory definition of an employers’ liability act fela punishable with civil penalties. Additionally, the Office of Chief Counsel's safety department examines all reports submitted by regional offices for legality before determining penalties. This discretion is exercised at the field and regional levels to ensure that civil penalties are only used when they are necessary.

A rail worker must be aware of rules and regulations that govern their actions and knowingly disregard those standards to commit a criminal offense that is punishable by a civil penalty. However the agency does not take any person who is acting under a direction from a supervisor as having committed an intentional violation. The agency defines the "general railroad system of transportation" as the whole network that passengers and goods travel within cities and metropolitan areas and 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 is physically connected.

Regulation

The Federal Railroad Administration sets train regulations, including those pertaining to safety and movement of hazardous materials. The agency also oversees rail financing, including grants and loans for improvements to infrastructure and service. The agency collaborates with other DOT agencies and industry to devise strategies to improve the nation's railroad system. This includes maintaining existing rail infrastructure and services as well as making sure that there is enough capacity strategically expanding the network and coordinating national and regional systems planning and development.

The agency is primarily responsible for freight transport, but also oversees passenger transport. The agency is trying to connect people to the places they want and provide more choices for travel. The agency's focus is on improving the passenger's experience, enhancing safety of the existing fleet, and ensuring that the rail network is operating efficiently.

Railroads must comply with many federal regulations, including those related to the size of crews on trains. This is an issue of contention in recent years, with a few states passing legislation that requires two-person crews on trains. This final rule codifies federally the minimum crew size requirements, making sure that all railroads adhere to the same safety standards.

This rule also requires that every railroad operating a one-person crew notify FRA and submit a risk analysis. This will allow FRA to identify the specifics of each operation and compare them to the standard two-person crew operation. This rule also alters the review standard of a special approval request from determining whether 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 public comment period on this rule, many people supported the requirement of a two-person crew. In a form letter 29 people expressed their concern that a single member of the crew will not be able to respond in a timely manner to train accidents or malfunctions at grade crossings or assist emergency response personnel on the highway-rail level crossing. Commenters emphasized that human factors are responsible for more than half all railroad accidents. They believe that a larger team will ensure the safety of the train and its cargo.

Technology

Freight and passenger rails use a variety of technologies to increase efficiency, enhance security, and improve safety. Rail industry jargon includes a variety of distinct terms and acronyms. Some of the most well-known include machine vision systems (also called drones), instrumented rail-inspection systems, driverless train rolling data centers and unmanned aerial vehicle (also called drones).

Technology isn't just replacing some jobs, it's also empowering people to do their job more efficiently and with greater security. Passenger railroads use smartphones apps and contactless fare cards to increase passengership and boost the efficiency of their system. Other innovations like autonomous rail cars are moving closer to becoming 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 initiative that will see bridges and tunnels restored tracks, power systems and tracks upgraded and stations rebuilt or upgraded. The FRA's rail improvement program will be greatly increased by the recently approved bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The agency's Office of Research, Development and Technology is a central component of this initiative. The most recent National Academies review of the office found that it excelled in engaging with, maintaining communication and utilizing inputs of a wide range of stakeholders. But it must concentrate on how its research helps the department achieve its primary strategic goal of ensuring the safe movement of people and goods via railway.

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

The FRA is interested in the group’s development of a taxonomy to describe automated rail vehicles which defines clearly and consistently the different levels of automation. This could be applicable to rail transit as well as on-road vehicles. The agency will also be looking to know the level of safety risk that the industry sees with implementing fully automated operation and whether the industry is considering additional security measures to reduce the risk.

Innovation

Rail companies are adopting new technologies to increase worker safety, improve efficiency in business processes, and ensure that the freight they transport is delivered intact. These innovations vary from cameras and sensors that monitor freight to new railcar designs which keep hazardous cargo safe during transportation. Certain of these technologies provide a way for railroads to send emergency response personnel to locations of accidents so they can quickly mitigate the risks to property and people.

Positive Train Control (PTC) is among the most significant innovations in rail. It can keep train-to-train accidents out of the way, as well as situations where trains are on track they shouldn't be, and other accidents caused by human error. The system is a three-part system comprised of locomotives onboard that track the train and wayside networks that connect with the locomotive, and a massive backend server that analyzes and collects data.

Passenger railroads also embrace technology to improve security and safety. Amtrak, for example, is experimenting with the use of drones to assist train security personnel locate passengers and items in the event of an emergency. The company is also looking into other ways to use drones, such as using them to perform inspections of bridges as well as other infrastructure, like replacing the lights on railway towers, which could be hazardous for workers to climb.

Other technologies that can be utilized for passenger railroads include smart track technology, which can detect the presence of objects or people on the tracks and send out a warning to drivers if it's unsafe to proceed. These technologies are particularly effective in detecting unsafe crossings or other problems in the evenings, when traffic is low and there are less witnesses to an accident.

Telematics is another important technological advance in the railway industry. It allows railways, shippers and other stakeholders to track a traincar in real-time. Crews and railcar operators will benefit from increased accountability and visibility which will allow them increase efficiency as well as avoid unnecessary maintenance and reduce delays when delivering freight.