The Federal Railroad Administration and Technology
The Federal Railroad Administration creates and enforces rail safety regulations, provides rail funding and researches rail improvement strategies.
FRA field inspectors employ discretion to determine which cases merit the precise and lengthy civil penalty process. This discretion helps to ensure that the most serious violations are penalized.
SMART-TD members and allies have made history in 2024 by pushing the FRA to ensure that two people are in the locomotive cab of freight trains. The fight is not over.
Safety
The Federal Railroad Administration implements a number of safety measures to ensure the health of employees and public. It is responsible for establishing and enforcing rail safety regulations. It also manages the funding for rail and conducts research on rail improvement strategies and technologies. It also develops, implements and maintains plans for the maintenance of the current rail infrastructure and services. It also expands and improves strategically the rail network across the nation. The department expects all rail employers to adhere to strict rules and regulations, empower their workers and provide them with tools to be successful and safe. This includes taking part in the confidential close call reporting system, establishing occupational health and safety committees with full union participation and anti-retaliation protections and providing employees with personal protective equipment.
FRA inspectors are at the forefront of enforcement of railway safety laws and regulations. They conduct routine inspections of equipment and conduct hundreds of investigations into complaints of noncompliance. Those who violate rail safety laws may be penalized civilly. The safety inspectors of the agency have broad discretion over whether a particular violation meets the statutory definition of a civil penalty-worthy
employers’ liability act fela. In addition the Office of Chief Counsel's safety division examines all reports submitted from regional offices to determine their legality prior to assessing penalties. The exercise of this discretion at both the field and regional levels helps ensure that the lengthy, time-consuming civil penalty process is applied only in cases that truly warrant the deterrent effect of a civil penalty.
To be guilty of a civil offense an employee of a railroad must be aware of the rules and regulations governing their actions. They must also knowingly disregard these standards. The agency does not believe that a person who acts in response to a supervisor's direction has committed a willful offence. The agency defines "general railroad system" as the entire system that carries goods and passengers within and between cities and metropolitan areas. A plant railroad's trackage in a steel mill is not considered to be part of the general transportation system that trains, even though it is physically connected to it.
Regulation
The Federal Railroad Administration is responsible for establishing regulations for trains, such as those relating to safety and the movement of dangerous substances. The agency is responsible for managing rail finance, which includes loans and grants to improve service and infrastructure. 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 strategically expanding the network, and coordinating national and regional systems planning and development.
Although the majority of the agency's work focuses on freight transportation, it also oversees passenger transportation. The agency is working to connect people to the places they want and provide more alternatives for travel. The agency's 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 must comply with many federal regulations, including those pertaining to the size of the crews on trains. In recent years, this issue has been a source of contention. Certain states have passed legislation requiring two-person crews on trains. This final rule defines federally the minimum size of crew requirements, making sure that all railroads follow the same safety standards.
This rule also requires that every railroad operating a one-person crew notify FRA and submit an analysis of risk. This will allow FRA to assess the requirements of each operation with the standard two-person crew operation. This rule also changes the standard for reviewing a special approval request to determine if an operation is "consistent" with railroad safety standards to determining whether the operation is as secure or less risky than a two-person crew operations.
During the public comment period for
Federal Railroad this rule, many people expressed support for the requirement for a two-person crew. A form letter sent by 29 people expressed their concern that a single crew member might 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 responsible for a majority of railroad accidents. They believe that a larger team could ensure the safety of the train as well as its cargo.
Technology
Railroads for passenger and freight use a wide array of technologies to improve efficiency, increase safety, boost security and more. The rail industry vernacular includes a variety of distinct terms and acronyms however, some of the most notable 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 only able to replace certain jobs. It empowers people to perform their jobs more effectively and safer. Passenger railroads are using smartphone apps and contactless fare payment cards to improve ridership and improve the efficiency of the system. Other innovations like autonomous rail cars are moving closer to becoming reality.
As part of its ongoing effort to ensure safe, reliable, and affordable transportation options for the country The Federal Railroad Administration is focused on modernizing its rail 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 extended by the recently passed bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
The Office of Research, Development and Technology of the agency is a key component in this effort. The National Academies' recent review of the office found that it excelled in engaging, maintaining communications using inputs from a broad range of stakeholders. It is still required to focus on how its research contributes towards the department's primary objective of ensuring the safe movement of people and goods by railways.
One area where the agency might be able to improve its effectiveness is in identifying and assisting the advancement of automated train systems and technologies. The Association of American Railroads, the primary freight rail industry organization that focuses on research, policy, and standardization and has created a Technical Advisory Group on Autonomous Train Operations to help in developing industry standards for implementing the technology.
The FRA is interested in the group’s development of a taxonomy to describe automated rail vehicles which defines clearly and consistently different levels of automation. This would apply to both rail transit and on-road vehicles.