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The Federal Railroad Administration and Technology The Federal Railroad Administration is responsible for safety regulations for rail and enforcement, rail funding and research on rail improvement strategies. FRA inspectors on the ground use discretion to determine which cases are worthy of the time-consuming 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 allow two people in the locomotive cab of freight trains. The fight continues. Safety The Federal Railroad Administration has a variety of safety measures in place to protect the health and welfare of employees and the public. It is responsible for creating and enforcing regulations for rail safety. It also oversees the funding for rail and conducts research on improvements to rail strategies and technology. It also formulates and implements a plan to ensure the current infrastructure, services, and capacity, and strategically develops and improves the nation's rail network. The department requires that all rail operators adhere to strict rules and empower their employees, and provide them with tools to be secure and productive. This includes taking part in the confidential close-call reporting system, setting up labor-management occupational safety and health committees with full participation from unions and anti-retaliation clauses and giving employees the necessary personal protective gear. Inspectors of the FRA are at the forefront of enforcing rail safety regulations and laws. They conduct routine inspections of equipment and investigate hundreds of complaints. Anyone who is in violation of the rail safety laws could be penalized civilly. Safety inspectors from the agency have wide decision-making power to determine if an act is within the definition provided by law of an offense that is punishable with civil penalties. In addition, the Office of Chief Counsel's safety division reviews all reports that are received by regional offices to determine 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. To be considered guilty of a civil violation, a rail employee must know the rules and regulations that govern the conduct of his or her employees. They must also be aware of and not adhere to these rules. The agency does not believe that an individual who acts in response to a supervisor's direction has committed a willful offence. The agency defines “general railroad system” as the whole network that carries goods and passengers between cities and metropolitan areas. The trackage of a plant railroad at the steel mill isn't considered part of the general transportation system by rail even being physically connected to it. Regulation The Federal Railroad Administration sets train regulations, ranging from those related to safety and the movement of hazardous materials. The agency also oversees rail financing, including grants and loans for infrastructure and service improvements. The agency collaborates with other DOT agencies as well as industry to develop strategies for improving the rail system of the United States. This includes maintaining current rail infrastructure and services as well as making sure that there is enough capacity, strategically expanding the network, as well as coordinating regional and national systems planning and development. The agency is mostly responsible for freight transportation but also oversees passenger transport. The agency is working to connect people to destinations they desire and offer more choices for travel. The agency's focus is on improving the passenger's experience as well as enhancing the safety of its existing fleet and ensuring the rail network is operating efficiently. fela claims railroad employees are required to comply with a number of federal regulations, including those that deal with the size and composition of the train crews. This is controversial in recent years, with several states passing legislation to require two-person crews on trains. This final rule defines federally the minimum size crew requirements, making sure that all railroads adhere to the same safety standards. This rule also requires each railroad that operates a one-person train crew to inform FRA of the operation and submit a risk assessment. This will allow FRA to evaluate the characteristics of each operation to those of a two-person standard crew operation. This rule also alters the standard for reviewing an application for special approval to determine if an operation is “consistent” with railroad safety standards to determining whether the operation is as secure or safer than two-person crew operation. During the public comment period on this rule, a large number of people expressed support for a two-person crew requirement. In a formal letter, 29 people expressed their concerns that a single member of the crew will not be capable of responding as quickly to train malfunctions or incidents at grade crossings, or assist emergency personnel on a highway-rail level crossing. The commenters pointed out that human factors are responsible for more than half all railroad accidents, and they believe that a larger crew would help ensure the safety of the train and its cargo. Technology Railroads that transport passengers and freight employ numerous technologies to increase efficiency, improve safety, boost security and much more. Rail industry jargon includes many distinct terms and acronyms. Some of the most notable include machine vision systems (also called drones) instruments for rail-inspection systems driverless trains rolling data centers and unmanned aerial vehicle (also called drones). Technology doesn't just replace some jobs. It empowers people to perform their jobs better and more safely. Railroads for passengers use apps on smartphones and contactless fare cards to increase ridership and improve the efficiency of their system. Other innovations like autonomous rail cars are moving closer to becoming reality. The Federal Railroad Administration, as part of its ongoing efforts to ensure safe affordable, reliable, and secure transportation in the United States is focusing on modernizing the rail infrastructure. This multi-billion dollar project will see tunnels, bridges, tracks and power systems updated, and stations rebuilt or replace. 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 central component of this effort. The National Academies' recent review of the office found that it excelled at engaging, maintaining communications with inputs from a wide range of stakeholders. However, it needs to focus more on how its research aids in the department's main strategic goal of ensuring safe movement of people and goods by rail. The agency could improve its effectiveness by identifying and implementing automated train systems and technologies. The Association of American Railroads, the main freight rail industry association that focuses on research, policy and standardization and has created a Technical Advisory Group on Autonomous Train Operations to help develop industry standards for the implementation of the technology. 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 could be applicable to both rail transit and on-road vehicles. The agency will also be looking to know the level of safety risk that the industry perceives associated when implementing a fully automated system and whether the industry is considering adding additional safeguards to mitigate that risk. Innovation Railroads are using technology to boost worker safety and make business processes more efficient and help ensure that the cargo they move reaches its destination in good condition. Examples of this kind of innovations vary from the use cameras and sensors to keep track of freight, and to new railcar designs that keep dangerous cargo safe during transport. Certain of these technologies allow railroads to dispatch emergency personnel to locations of accidents so they can swiftly mitigate damage and reduce the risk to people and property. Positive Train Control (PTC) is among the most significant innovations in rail. It will prevent train-to-train accidents, situations where trains are on track they shouldn't, and other incidents caused by human errors. The system is a three-part process consisting of locomotives onboard that track the train, wayside networks that communicate with the locomotive and a massive backend server that analyzes and collects data. Railroads that transport passengers also use technology to enhance security and safety. Amtrak is one example. It is experimenting with the use of drones to help train security staff find passengers and other items in the event of an emergency. The company is also looking into other possibilities to utilize drones, including deploying drones to conduct inspections of bridges and other infrastructure for example, replacing the lights on railway towers, which can be hazardous for workers to climb. Smart track technology is a different technology that can be utilized in railways that transport passengers. It is able to detect objects or people on tracks and notify drivers if it is unsafe to continue. These types of technologies are particularly useful in detecting crossings that are not authorized as well as other issues that can arise during times when traffic is at its lowest and there are fewer people around to witness an accident. Telematics is another important technological breakthrough in the rail industry. It lets railways, shippers, and other stakeholders, to track a traincar in real-time. Crews and railcar operators 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.