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 researches rail improvement strategies.
FRA inspectors on the ground use discretion to decide which cases are worthy of the time-consuming 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 ensure that two people are in the cabs of locomotives of freight trains. The fight isn't over.
Safety
The Federal Railroad Administration implements a number of safety measures to protect the health of employees as well as the public. It formulates and enforces rail safety regulations as well as manages funding for rail and researches rail improvement strategies and technology. It also creates and implements a plan to maintain current infrastructure, rail services and capacity, and strategically develops and improves the national rail network. The department requires all railroad employers to adhere to the strictest rules and regulations, empower their workers and provide them with the tools needed to be successful and safe. This includes taking part in a confidential close-call reporting system, creating labor-management occupational safety and health committees with full-union participation and antiretaliation provisions and providing employees with the needed personal protective gear.
Inspectors of the FRA are at the forefront of enforcing rail safety laws and regulations. They conduct routine inspections on equipment and investigate hundreds of complaints. Those who violate rail safety laws may be subject to civil penalties. The agency's safety inspectors have a broad discretion on whether an individual violation is in line with the statutory description of a civil penalty-worthy act. Additionally the Office of Chief Counsel's safety department examines all reports submitted by regional offices to determine legality before determining penalties. The exercise of this discretion both at the regional and field levels helps ensure that the time-consuming, costly civil penalty process is used only in situations that truly warrant the deterrent effect of a civil penalty.
Rail employees must be aware of the rules and regulations that govern his actions and be aware of the standards to be guilty of a civil penalty-worthy offence. However the agency doesn't consider any individual who follows a directive by a supervisor as having committed an intentional violation. The agency defines "general railroad system" as the entire network that carries goods and passengers within and between metropolitan areas and cities. 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 Railroad Administration is responsible for establishing regulations for trains that pertain to safety and the transportation of dangerous substances. The agency manages rail finance, including grants and loan for service and infrastructure improvement. The agency works with other DOT agencies and the industry to devise strategies to improve the nation's railroad system. This includes ensuring the current rail services and infrastructure as well as making sure that there is enough capacity strategically expanding the network and coordinating national and regional systems planning and development.
While the majority of the agency's work is focused on freight transportation, it also oversees passenger transportation. The agency aims to connect people to the places they'd like to visit and offer more choices for travel. railroad injury fela lawyer is on improving the experience of passengers as well as enhancing the safety of its existing fleet, and ensuring that the rail network continues operating efficiently.
Railroads are required to comply with a range of federal regulations, which include the ones pertaining to the size and composition of crews on trains. In recent times this issue has been a source of contention. Certain states have passed legislation requiring two-person teams on trains. This final rule codifies the minimum size of crew requirements at a federal level, ensuring that all railroads are subject to the same safety standards.
This law also requires that each railroad that has a one-person crew notify FRA and submit an analysis of risk. This will allow FRA to better understand the specifics of each operation and compare them to those of a standard two-person crew operation. In addition this rule will change the criteria for reviewing a special approval petition from determining whether the operation is "consistent with railroad safety" to determining whether the operation would be as secure or as safe as a two-crewmember operation.
During the time of public comments for this rule, a large number of people expressed their support for a requirement of two persons on the crew. A form letter sent by 29 individuals emphasized their concerns that a lone crewmember could not be as quick to respond to train-related malfunctions or crossing incidents, or assist emergency response personnel at a highway-rail grade crossing. Commenters noted that human factors are the reason for a majority of railroad accidents. They believe that a bigger crew will ensure the safety of the train and its cargo.
Technology
Freight and passenger rails employ various technologies to increase efficiency, increase security, and improve safety. The rail industry vernacular includes a variety of unique terms and acronyms, but some of the more notable innovations include machines-vision systems, instrumented rail inspection systems, driverless trains, rolling data centers, and unmanned aerial vehicles (commonly known as drones).
Technology doesn't just replace some jobs. It allows people to do their jobs better and safer. Passenger railroads are using smartphone apps and contactless fare payment cards to improve ridership and make the system more efficient. Other innovations such as autonomous rail cars are getting closer to reality.
The Federal Railroad Administration, as part of its ongoing efforts to improve safe reliable, affordable, and cost-effective transportation in the United States, is focused on modernizing the railway infrastructure. This is a multi-billion-dollar effort that will see bridges and tunnels restored as well as tracks and power systems upgraded, and stations rebuilt or upgraded. The FRA's rail improvement program will be significantly expanded by the recently passed bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
The agency's Office of Research, Development and Technology is a key piece in this initiative. The National Academies' recent review of the office concluded that it was successful in engaging, maintaining communication with and using inputs from a wide range of stakeholders. But it still needs to concentrate on how its research aids in the department's main strategic goal of ensuring safe transportation of goods and people by rail.
One area in which the agency may be able improve its effectiveness is in identifying and supporting the development of automated train technology and systems. The Association of American Railroads (AAR) is the main industry association for the freight rail industry that is focused on research, policy and standard setting and has established the Technical Advisory Group for Autonomous Train Operations to help create standards within the industry.
The FRA is interested in the group's creation of a taxonomy for automated rail vehicles, a system that defines clearly and consistently different levels of automation. This would apply to rail transit as well as on-road vehicles. The agency will need to know the amount of risk the industry perceives with fully automated operation, and whether the industry is considering any additional measures to mitigate the risk.
Innovation
Rail companies are embracing technology to improve worker safety, increase efficiency in business processes and ensure that the freight they transport arrives at its destination in good condition. Examples of this kind of innovations include the use of sensors and cameras to monitor freight, to new railcar designs that help keep hazardous cargo safe during transit. Some of these technologies allow railroads send emergency responders directly to accident sites to minimize the danger and minimize the damage to property and people.
Positive Train Control (PTC) is among the most significant developments in rail. It can stop train-to-train accidents, instances where trains are on track they shouldn't and other accidents caused by human error. This system is a three-part system comprised of locomotives onboard that track the train and wayside networks that connect with the locomotive and a huge backend server that analyzes and collects data.
Passenger railroads also embrace technology to enhance security and safety. Amtrak for instance, is experimenting with drones in order to help security personnel on trains find passengers and other items in the event of an emergency. The company is also exploring other possibilities to utilize drones, including deploying drones to conduct inspections of bridges and other infrastructure, like replacing the lights on railway towers, which could be dangerous for workers to climb.
Smart track technology is a different technology that can be utilized in railways for passengers. It is able to detect objects or people on tracks and alert drivers that it is unsafe to continue. These technologies are especially useful in detecting crossings that are not authorized or other issues during the evenings, when traffic is low and there are fewer witnesses to an accident.
Another important technological advancement in the railway industry is telematics which allows railroads, shippers and other stakeholders to view the condition and status of a traincar by real-time tracking. Traincar crews and operators will benefit from increased accountability and transparency which can help them to improve efficiency and avoid unnecessary maintenance. It will also help reduce delays when delivering freight.