Why We Are In Love With Federal Railroad (And You Should Also!)

Author : Aggerholm Persson | Published On : 01 Jun 2024

The Federal Railroad Administration and Technology

The Federal Railroad Administration is responsible for the safety of rail, regulations and enforcement, as well as funding for rail, and research on rail improvement strategies.

FRA inspectors on the ground use discretion to decide which cases are worthy of the lengthy and precise civil penalty process. This ensures that the violations most deserving of punishment are punished.

SMART-TD members and allies made history in 2024 by pushing the FRA to allow two people in the cabs of locomotives of freight trains. The fight is not over.

Safety

The Federal Railroad Administration implements a number of safety measures to safeguard the health of employees as well as the public. It develops and enforces safety regulations for rail as well as manages funding for rail and researches strategies for improving rail and technologies. It also develops and implements a plan to maintain current rail services, infrastructure and capacity, and strategically develops and improves the nation's rail network. The department requires all rail companies to adhere to strict rules and regulations, and empower their employees and provide them with the tools to succeed and stay safe. This includes taking part in the confidential close-call reporting system, setting up labor-management occupational safety and health committees that have full participation from unions and anti-retaliation clauses and providing employees with the required personal protective equipment.

Inspectors of the FRA are at the leading edge of enforcing rail safety regulations and laws. They conduct routine inspections of equipment and conduct a myriad of investigations into complaints of noncompliance. Those who violate the rail safety laws could be subject to civil penalties. Safety inspectors at the agency have a wide decision-making power to determine if an act is within the definition provided by law of an act punishable with civil penalties. The Office of Chief Counsel's safety division also scrutinizes the reports submitted by regional offices to determine if they are legal before assessing penalties. The exercise of this discretion both at the field and regional levels ensures that the time-consuming, costly civil penalty process is used only in situations which truly warrant the deterrent impact of a civil penalty.

To be fela lawyer of a civil offense, a rail employee must be aware of the rules and regulations governing his or her actions. They must also knowingly disregard these standards. The agency does not consider an individual who acted on a supervisor's directive has committed a willful offence. The agency defines the "general railroad system of transportation" as the whole network over which goods and passengers travel within cities and metropolitan areas and between them. A plant railroad's trackage in the steel mill isn't considered part of the general transportation system by rail, even although it is physically connected to it.

Regulation

The Federal Railroad Administration is responsible for establishing train regulations that pertain to safety and the transportation of hazardous substances. The agency also oversees rail financing including loans and grants for infrastructure and improvements to service. The agency collaborates with other DOT agencies and the industry to develop strategies to improve the country's railroad system. This work includes maintaining existing rail infrastructure and services as well as addressing the need for new capacity and strategically expanding the network and coordinating regional and national systems planning and development.

While most of the agency's work is focused on freight transportation, it also manages passenger transportation. The agency aims to connect people to the destinations they desire and offer more options for travel. The agency's primary focus is on improving the experience of passengers, enhancing safety of the current fleet, and making sure that the rail system continues to operate efficiently.

Railroads are required to comply with a number of federal regulations, which include those that deal with the size and composition of crews on trains. This is a controversial one in recent years, with some states passing legislation to require 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 subject to consistent safety standards.

This law also requires that each railroad operating a one-person crew notify FRA and submit a risk analysis. This will allow FRA to evaluate the characteristics of each operation to the parameters of a standard two-person crew operation. This rule also changes the criteria for reviewing a special approval request to determine if an operation is "consistent" with railroad safety to determining if the operation is safer or safer than two-person crew operation.

During the time of public comment on this rule, a large number of people voted for a requirement of two persons on the crew. A letter written by 29 individuals emphasized their concerns that a single crew member would not be as quick to respond to issues with trains or grade crossing incidents, or assist emergency response personnel at a highway-rail grade crossing. Commenters noted that human factors are the reason for more than half of all railroad accidents. They believe that a larger team could ensure the safety of the train and its cargo.

Technology

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

Technology isn't just replacing certain jobs, it's also empowering people to perform their jobs more effectively and safely. Railroads for passengers use apps on smartphones and contactless fare cards to increase ridership and increase the efficiency of their system. Other developments, like autonomous rail vehicles, are moving closer to becoming reality.

The Federal Railroad Administration, as part of its ongoing efforts to promote safe reliable, affordable, and cost-effective transportation in America is focusing on modernizing the rail infrastructure. This is a multi-billion-dollar project that will see bridges and tunnels repaired as well as tracks and power systems upgraded, and stations reconstructed or upgraded. FRA's recently passed bipartisan infrastructure law will dramatically increase the agency's rail improvement programs.

The agency's Office of Research, Development and Technology is a major element in this effort. The National Academies' recent review of the office found that it was successful in keeping in touch with inputs from a broad range of stakeholders. But it still needs to concentrate on how its research aids in the department's main strategic goal of ensuring the safe movement of people and goods via rail.

The agency could enhance its effectiveness by identifying and supporting automated train systems and technologies. The Association of American Railroads, the primary freight rail industry organization that focuses on research, policy, and standard-setting, has established a Technical Advisory Group on Autonomous Train Operations to help in developing industry standards to implement the technology.

FRA is likely to be interested in the development of an automated rail taxonomy, which is a system of standards to clearly and consistently define different levels of automation that would be applicable to both rail and on-road transit vehicles. The agency will also want to know the degree of risk to safety that the industry perceives associated with the introduction of fully automated operation and whether or not the industry is contemplating additional security measures to reduce the risk.

Innovation


Railroads are adopting technology to increase worker safety and make business processes more efficient and ensure that the freight it transports arrives at its destination in good condition. Examples of this innovation range from the use of cameras and sensors to track freight, to the latest railcar designs that keep hazardous cargo safe during transport. Some of these technologies enable railroads to dispatch emergency personnel directly to the scene of an accident to minimize danger and minimize the damage to people and property.

One of the most prominent innovations in rail is Positive Train Control (PTC) which will prevent collisions between trains and trains, situations in which trains are on tracks where they shouldn't be and other accidents resulting from human error. This system consists of three parts consisting of locomotives onboard that track the train; wayside networks that communicate with the locomotive and a massive server that analyzes and collects data.

Trains for passengers also adopt technology to improve security and safety. Amtrak for instance, is testing the use of drones in order to help security personnel on trains locate passengers and other items in an emergency. The company is also exploring ways to utilize drones. They could be used to inspect bridges and other infrastructure, or to replace the lights on railway towers that are hazardous for workers to climb.

Other technologies that can be utilized for passenger railroads include smart track technology, which is able to detect the presence of objects or people on the tracks and send out a warning to drivers if it's unsafe to travel. These kinds of technology are especially useful in detecting crossings that are not authorized as well as other issues that can arise in the off-hours, when traffic volumes are lowest and there are fewer people to witness an accident.

Another important technological advancement in the rail industry is telematics which allows shippers, railroads and other stakeholders to see the status and condition of a traincar by real-time tracking. Railcar operators and crews can benefit from increased accountability and transparency which will allow them improve efficiency and avoid unnecessary maintenance. It will also help reduce delays when delivering freight.