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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 decide which cases are worthy of the lengthy and precise civil penalty process. This helps ensure that the most serious violations are punished. SMART-TD, along with its allies, made history in 2024 when they convinced the FRA that two persons should be allowed to sit in the cabs of freight trains. The fight is not over. Safety The Federal Railroad Administration has a range of safety measures in place to safeguard the health and welfare of employees and the public. It is responsible for creating and enforcing regulations for rail safety. It also administers the funding for rail and studies rail improvement strategies and technological developments. It also formulates plans, implements and maintains a plan for maintaining the current infrastructure and services for rail. It also expands and improves strategically the rail network across the nation. The department expects all rail companies to adhere to strict rules and regulations, empower their workers and provide them with tools to succeed and stay safe. This includes a confidential close-call reporting system, establishing labor-management occupational safety and health committees, with full-union participation and antiretaliation provisions and giving employees the necessary personal protective equipment. Inspectors of the FRA are at the forefront of enforcing safety on rail laws and regulations. They conduct routine inspections of equipment and conduct hundreds of investigations into complaints of noncompliance. Anyone who is in violation of the rail safety laws could be subject to civil penalties. The safety inspectors of the agency have broad discretion over whether a particular violation meets the statutory definition of a criminal penalty-worthy act. Additionally, the Office of Chief Counsel's safety department examines all reports submitted from regional offices to determine their legal sufficiency before assessing penalties. This discretion is exercised both at the regional and field levels to ensure that civil penalties are only applied in cases that warrant their use. To be guilty of a civil infringement, a rail employee must know the rules and regulations governing his or her actions. They must also knowingly not adhere to these rules. However, the agency does not consider any individual who is acting under a direction from a supervisor to have committed a willful 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 in the steel mill is not considered to be part of the overall rail transportation system, even though it is physically connected. Regulation The Federal Railroad Administration is responsible for establishing train regulations including those related to safety and the movement of hazardous substances. The agency also oversees rail financing including loans and grants for infrastructure and service improvements. The agency collaborates with other DOT agencies and with industry to devise strategies to improve the nation's railroad system. This includes ensuring the existing rail infrastructure and services, addressing the need for capacity expansion, expanding the network strategically, and coordinating regional and national system's planning and development. The agency is primarily responsible for freight transportation but also manages passenger transportation. The agency is working to provide more options for passengers and connect people with the places they'd like to go. The agency's focus is on enhancing the experience for passengers, enhancing safety of the existing fleet, and ensuring that the rail system continues to operate efficiently. Railroads must abide by a variety of federal regulations, including those pertaining to the size of crews on trains. This issue has become a controversial one in recent years, with several states enacting legislation that requires two-person crews on trains. The final rule codifies the minimum size of crew requirements at a federal level, ensuring that all railroads are subject to consistent safety standards. This also requires every railroad that has a one-person train crew to inform FRA of the operation and submit a risk assessment. This will allow FRA to identify the specifics of each operation and compare them with the standard two-person crew operation. This rule also alters the criteria for reviewing an approval request that is a special case to determine if an operation is “consistent” with railroad safety, to determining if the operation is safer or safer than two-person crew operations. During the public comment period on this rule, many people supported the requirement for a two-person crew. In a formal letter, 29 people expressed their concerns that a single crewmember will not be able to respond as quickly to train accidents or malfunctions at grade crossings, or assist emergency personnel on the highway-rail level crossing. The commenters noted that human factors account for more than half railroad accidents, and they believe that a larger crew would help ensure the safety of both the train and the cargo it transports. Technology Railroads for passenger and freight use a wide array of technologies to enhance efficiency, increase security, increase safety and more. The language used in the rail industry includes a variety of unique terms and acronyms, however, some of the most notable innovations include machine vision systems, instrumented rail inspection systems, driverless trains rolling data centers, and unmanned aerial vehicles (commonly known as drones). Technology isn't only able to replace certain jobs. It allows people to perform their jobs better and with greater security. Passenger railroads are using smartphone apps and contactless fare payment cards to increase ridership and improve the efficiency of the system. Other innovations, like autonomous rail vehicles, are moving closer to becoming reality. fela accident attorney , as part of its ongoing efforts to ensure secure reliable, affordable, and cost-effective transportation in America, is focused on modernizing the rail infrastructure. This multi-billion dollar project will see tunnels, bridges tracks, power systems and tracks updated, and stations rebuilt or replace. The FRA's rail improvement program will be significantly extended by the recently passed bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The agency's Office of Research, Development and Technology is a key element in this effort. The National Academies' recent review of the office revealed that it excelled at keeping in touch using inputs from a variety of stakeholders. It must continue to focus on how its research contributes towards the department's main goal of ensuring the safety of people and goods via rail. The agency could improve its effectiveness by identifying and supporting automated train systems and technology. The Association of American Railroads, the freight rail industry's primary industry organization that focuses on research, policy and standard-setting and has created a Technical Advisory Group on Autonomous Train Operations to help in developing industry standards to implement the technology. The FRA is interested in the group's creation of a taxonomy for automated rail vehicles which defines clearly and consistently the different levels of automation. This could apply to both rail transit and vehicles on the road. The agency will also be looking to know the level of safety risk that the industry believes is associated with the introduction of fully automated operation and whether or not the industry is contemplating additional security measures to reduce the risk. Innovation Rail companies are embracing technology to enhance worker safety, increase efficiency in business processes, and ensure that the freight they transport is delivered in good condition. Examples of this innovation vary from the use cameras and sensors to monitor freight, to new railcar designs that keep hazardous cargo secure during transit. Certain of these technologies provide a way for railroads to send emergency response personnel to locations of accidents so they can quickly mitigate the damage and reduce the risk to property and lives. 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. This system is a three-part system comprised of locomotives onboard that track the train, wayside networks that communicate with the locomotive, and an enormous backend server that analyzes and collects data. Trains for passengers are also adopting technology to enhance security and safety. For instance, Amtrak is experimenting with drones to assist security staff in locating passengers and items on board trains in the event in the event of an emergency. The company is also exploring ways to make use of drones. They could be used to inspect bridges and other infrastructures or to replace the lighting on railway towers that are dangerous for workers to climb. Smart track technology is another technology that is used in railways for passengers. It is able to detect people or objects on tracks and warn motorists that it is not safe to continue. These types of technologies can be particularly valuable for detecting unauthorized crossings as well as other issues that can arise during off-hours, when traffic is at its lowest and there are fewer people to witness an accident. Another important technological advancement in the rail industry is telematics which allows railroads, shippers and other stakeholders to monitor the status and condition of a traincar via real-time tracking. Railcar operators and crews can benefit from greater accountability and transparency, which will help them improve efficiency as well as avoid unnecessary maintenance and reduce delays when delivering freight.