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The Federal Railroad Administration and Technology

The Federal Railroad Administration creates and enforces safety regulations for rail, provides rail funding and researches rail improvement strategies.

FRA inspectors on the ground make use of discretion to determine which cases are worthy of the time-consuming and precise civil penalty procedure. This helps ensure that the most serious violations are punished.

Allies and members of SMART-TD made history in 2024 by pushing the FRA to allow two people in the locomotive cab of freight trains. The fight isn't 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 regulations for rail safety. It also oversees the funding for rail and studies rail improvement strategies and technologies. It also formulates, implements and maintains plans for the maintenance of the current infrastructure and services for rail. It also expands and improves strategically the rail network across the nation. The department requires that all rail operators adhere to strict rules and empower their employees, and provide them with tools to be safe and successful. This includes participating in the confidential close-call reporting system, establishing occupational health and safety committees that have full participation from unions and protection against retaliation and providing employees with the necessary personal protection equipment.

FRA inspectors are on the front lines of enforcement of railway safety regulations and laws. They perform routine inspections on equipment and investigate hundreds of complaints. Anyone who violates the rail safety laws could be punished with civil penalties. Safety inspectors from the agency have wide decision-making power to determine if violations fall within the statutory definition of an act that is punishable by civil penalties. In addition, the Office of Chief Counsel's security division examines all reports submitted by regional offices for legality before determining penalties. The exercise of this discretion at the regional and field levels helps ensure that the exacting, time-consuming civil penalty process is utilized only in those situations which truly warrant the deterrent impact of a civil penalty.

Rail employees must be aware of rules and regulations that govern his actions, and not knowingly violate those rules to commit a criminal offense that is punishable by a civil penalty. The agency doesn't consider that a person who acts upon a directive from a supervisor has committed a willful offence. The agency defines the "general railroad system of transportation" as the entire network over which goods and passengers travel within metropolitan and city areas or between them. The trackage of a plant railroad within the steelmill isn't considered to be part of the overall rail transportation system, even though it's physically connected.

Regulation

The Federal Railroad Administration is responsible to establish regulations for train operations including those related to safety and the movement of dangerous substances. The agency oversees rail finance, which includes loans and grants for service and infrastructure improvement. The agency works with other DOT agencies and with industry to devise strategies to improve the nation's railway system. This work includes maintaining current rail services and infrastructure and in addition to addressing the need for additional capacity, strategically expanding the network as well as 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 connect people to places they'd like to visit and offer more options for travel. The agency is focused primarily on improving the experience of passengers, 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 that deal with the size and composition of train crews. This is a controversial one in recent years, with several states passing legislation that requires two-person crews on trains. This final rule outlines the minimum requirements for crew size at an international level, and ensures that all railroads are held to the same safety standards.

This also requires every railroad that operates one-person train crews to notify FRA of the operation and submit an assessment of risk. This will allow FRA to better understand the specific parameters of each operation and compare them with the normal two-person crew operation. This rule also alters the standard for reviewing a special approval request to determine if an operation is "consistent" with railroad safety to determining if the operation is safer or less risky than a two-person crew operation.

During the period of public comment on this rule, a lot of people expressed their support for a requirement for two people on the crew. A form letter sent by 29 people outlined their concerns that a lone crewmember could not be as quick to respond to issues with trains or grade crossing incidents or assist emergency responders at a highway-rail grade crossing. The commenters pointed out that human factors account for more than half of all railroad accidents and they think that a bigger crew could help ensure the safety of the train and its cargo.

Technology

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

Technology isn't just replacing certain jobs, it's also empowering individuals to perform their work better and safer. Railroads that transport passengers are using smartphone apps and contactless fare payment cards in order to boost ridership and improve the efficiency of the system. Other developments like autonomous rail cars are moving closer to becoming reality.

The Federal Railroad Administration, as part of its ongoing efforts to ensure safe, reliable, and affordable transportation in America is focusing on modernizing the rail infrastructure. This multi-billion-dollar effort will see bridges, tunnels tracks, power systems and tracks updated, and stations rebuilt or replace. FRA's recently passed bipartisan infrastructure law will significantly expand the agency's rail improvements programs.

The Office of Research, Development and Technology of the agency is a key component in this initiative. The most recent National Academies review of the office found it excelled at engaging, maintaining communication and using inputs of a wide range of stakeholders. However, it needs to focus more on how its research helps the department achieve its primary strategic goal of ensuring the safe transportation of goods and people by railway.

One area in which the agency may be able improve its effectiveness is in identifying and supporting the advancement of automated train technology and systems. The Association of American Railroads, the main freight rail industry industry organization that focuses on policy, research and standard-setting and has created a Technical Advisory Group on Autonomous Train Operations to help in developing industry standards to implement the technology.

FRA is interested in the group's development of an automated rail taxonomy, a standard that will clearly and consistently define the different levels of automation that would be applicable to both on-road and rail transit vehicles. The agency will also be looking to understand the level of risk to safety that the industry believes is associated with the introduction of fully automated operation and whether the industry is considering additional security measures to reduce the risk.

Innovation

Railroads are using technology to improve worker safety and improve business processes. efficient, and ensure that the cargo it transports arrives at its destination intact. These innovations range from sensors and cameras that monitor freight, to new railcar designs which keep hazardous cargo safe during transport. Certain of these technologies allow railroads dispatch emergency personnel directly to sites of accidents to minimize danger and minimize the damages to property and individuals.

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 when trains are in a position they shouldn't be, and other accidents caused by human errors. This system consists of three components of onboard locomotive systems that track the train; wayside networks which communicate with the locomotive; and a huge server that gathers and analyzes data.

Passenger railroads are also embracing technology to improve security and safety. Amtrak for instance, is testing the use of drones to help train security personnel locate passengers and items in the event of an emergency. Amtrak is also investigating different ways to use drones, including deploying them to perform inspections of bridges as well as other infrastructure, such as replacing the lighting on railway towers, which can be hazardous for workers to climb.

Smart track technology is a different technology that can be utilized 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 in detecting crossings that are not authorized or other issues during the evenings when the traffic is lower and there are fewer witnesses to an accident.

Telematics is yet another significant technological advance in the railway industry. It lets railways, shippers, and other stakeholders, to monitor a traincar in real-time. Such capabilities give railcar operators and crews greater accountability and visibility and can help them improve efficiency, prevent unnecessary maintenance and avoid delays in the delivery of freight to customers.