The Federal Railroad Administration
The Federal Railroad Administration is among the 10 agencies of DOT that are responsible for intermodal transportation. Its purpose is to ensure safe and reliable transportation of both people and goods.
FRA field inspectors examine the railroad track, train control and signal systems, as well as operating practices. They also investigate complaints.
Definition
Federal railroads are rail carriers in the United States controlled by the federal government. Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is a part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, formulates and enforces regulations governing railways, administers railroad funds, and conducts research to improve rail transportation. The FRA is one of 10 agencies within the U.S. Department of Transportation which is responsible for intermodal transportation. Its chief executive officers are the Administrator and Deputy Administrator.
The agency is responsible for all passenger and freight transportation that is conducted through the nation's rail network. The agency also consolidates the funding provided by the federal government for rail transportation and assists in the rehabilitation of the Northeast Corridor passenger service. The agency also regulates ownership and
Act fela operation of intermodal facilities, including tracks, right of way equipment, real estate, and rolling stock. It also coordinates federal rail transportation programs.
The FRA's responsibilities are to establish through regulation, following an opportunity for notice and comment, a process by anyone can make a complaint to the Secretary of Homeland Security concerning railroad security issues or shortcomings. In addition, the agency creates policies and conducts inspections to determine compliance with its rail safety laws in six technical disciplines that include track signals and train control, motive power and equipment, operating practices, hazmat, and highway-rail grade crossings.
The agency is in charge of making sure that the railroad transportation system operates in a safe, economic, and environmentally friendly way. This is why the agency requires railroads to ensure the safety of their workers and provide the appropriate training to their employees. Additionally, the agency establishes and regulates railroad rates to ensure that the public gets an equitable price for their transportation services.
The Federal Railroad Administration also enacts and implements rules to prevent discrimination towards railroad employees. It also protects whistleblowers from retaliation by railroad carriers. The agency also establishes an procedure through which railroad employees can make complaints about the actions of the company.
The primary goal of the agency is to ensure the safe, reliable and efficient transportation of people and goods for a stronger America now and in future. The FRA achieves this by regulating railroad safety, managing programs for assistance to railroads, conducting research to support better safety of railroads and national rail transportation policy and coordination, as well as supporting rail networking development, and helping the private sector manage railroads. In the past, railroads dominated the market, with very little competition. In the end, railroads often misused their position in the marketplace. Therefore, Congress created the Interstate Commerce Commission and other regulatory agencies to curb the abuses committed by railroad monopolies.
Purpose
The federal railroad is a government agency that establishes regulations, manages funds for rail and researches ways to improve the nation's rail transportation system. It supervises passenger and freight railroads, and operates the nation's rail infrastructure. It is one of 10 agencies of the U.S. Department of Transportation. It is also responsible for maintaining and expanding current railroad infrastructure.
Security is the primary responsibility when it comes to rail transportation. The Federal Railroad Administration is responsible for this. It has a number of divisions that supervise the country's freight and passenger railway operations. The Office of Railroad Safety is the largest of them with approximately 350 inspectors. It is responsible for conducting safety inspections in six technical disciplines, including track signalling, train control as well as motive and equipment operating procedures, hazmat, and highway-rail grade crossings.
FRA has additional departments which include the Office of Railroad Policy and Development. This department is responsible for programs aimed at enhancing passenger and freight rail transport, such as the Northeast Corridor Future. The department also is in charge of the grants that railways and works with other agencies to develop plans for the nation's rail requirements.
Another important duty of the FRA is the enforcement of certain federal laws that pertain to railroads and their employees. This includes preventing railroads from discriminating against employees and ensuring that injured railway workers are transported to the nearest hospital for initial aid treatment. The
law also prohibits railroads from refusing or delaying medical care to injured railway employees.
The FRA is the primary regulator of the freight and passenger rail industries, but there are other agencies which manage the economic aspects of rail transport. Surface Transportation Board is responsible for establishing rates and managing economics in the industry. It is the regulatory authority for railroad mergers, line-sales construction, and abandonment. Other responsibilities include the establishment of rules following an opportunity for public input and participation, where anyone can submit complaints about rail safety violations to the agency.
Functions
Rails transport people and goods from and to cities in the developed world as also to villages in less developed countries. They transport raw materials from manufacturing and processing facilities, and final products from these facilities to warehouses or stores. Rail is an essential mode of transportation for a number of essential commodities, including oil, grains, and coal. In 2020, freight rail transported over a quarter of the nation's total freight volume [PDF].
Federal railroads operate just like any other company, with departments for marketing, operations, sales, and an executive department. The marketing and sales department works with potential and existing customers as well as clients to determine the services they need and what they will cost. The operations department then creates the rail services that meet those requirements at the lowest possible cost in order to earn money for the railroad. The executive department supervises the entire operation, ensuring that every department is running smoothly.
The government helps the railways through a variety of ways that include grants and subsidized rates for government-owned traffic. Congress also offers funds to help build new track and stations. These subsidy funds are often added to the revenue that railroads receive through tickets and freight contracts.
In the United States, the government is the owner of the railway for passengers, Amtrak. It is a quasi public for-profit corporation, which has the United States Government as a major stockholder.
A key role of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is establishing and enforcing safety regulations for railroads. This involves regulating the mechanical condition of trains and the health and safety of railroad employees. FRA also analyzes and collects data on rail safety in order to identify trends and areas that need improved or increased regulatory attention.