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The Federal Railroad Administration and TechnologyThe Federal Railroad Administration is responsible for the safety of rail, regulations and enforcement, rail funding, and research on improving rail strategies.FRA inspectors on the ground employ discretion to determine which cases are worthy of the lengthy and precise civil penalty process. This helps ensure that the most serious violations are punished.SMART-TD members and allies made history in 2024 when they began pushing the FRA to keep two people in the cabs of locomotives of freight trains. The fight isn't over.SafetyThe Federal Railroad Administration implements a variety of safety measures to protect the health of employees as well as the public. It develops and enforces regulations for rail safety and oversees the funding for rail. It also studies strategies for improving rail infrastructure and technologies. It also develops plans, implements and maintains plans for the maintenance of the current infrastructure and services for rail. It also expands and improves strategically the national rail network. The department requires all rail employers to adhere to the strictest rules and regulations, empower their employees and provide them with the tools to be successful and secure. This includes participation in the secure close call reporting system, establishing labor-management occupational health and safety committees with full union participation and anti-retaliation protections and providing employees with the necessary personal protection equipment.FRA inspectors are on the front lines of enforcement of the rail safety laws and regulations. They conduct routine inspections of equipment and conduct a multitude of investigations into complaints of noncompliance. Civil penalties can be imposed on those who violate rail safety laws. The safety inspectors of the agency have broad discretion over whether an incident falls within the statutory definition of a criminal penalty-worthy act. Additionally the Office of Chief Counsel's security division reviews all reports received by regional offices to determine legal sufficiency before 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 utilized only in those situations which truly warrant the deterrent impact of a civil penalty.A rail employee must be aware of rules and regulations that govern his actions and be aware of the standards to commit a criminal offense that is punishable by a civil penalty. The agency does not consider that an individual who acts on a supervisor's directive has committed a willful offense. The agency defines the "general railroad system of transportation" as the whole network that allows passengers and goods to travel within metropolitan and city areas or between them. The trackage of a plant railroad within the steel mill is not considered to be part of the overall rail transportation system, despite the fact that it is physically connected.RegulationThe Federal Railroad Administration is responsible for establishing train regulations including those related to safety and the movement of dangerous substances. The agency manages rail finance, which includes loans and grants for infrastructure and service improvement. The agency collaborates with other DOT agencies and industry to develop strategies to improve the nation's rail infrastructure. This includes maintaining the current rail infrastructure and services, addressing the need for new capacity, expanding the network strategically as well as coordinating the regional and national system planning and development.The agency is mostly responsible for freight transport, but also oversees passenger transport. The agency is aiming to provide more options for passengers and connect people to the places they want to go. The agency's focus is on enhancing the experience for passengers and enhancing the safety of the existing fleet, and ensuring that the rail network is operating efficiently.Railroads are required to abide with a variety of federal regulations, including the ones pertaining to the size and composition of the train crews. This issue has become controversial in recent years, with a few states passing legislation that requires two-person crews on trains. This final rule defines federally the minimum crew size requirements, making sure that all railroads follow the same safety standards.This also requires every railroad operating one-person train crews to notify FRA of the operation and submit an assessment of risk. This will allow FRA to compare the parameters of each operation to those of a two-person standard crew operation. In addition this rule will change the review standard for the special approval petition from to determining whether an operation is "consistent with railroad safety" to determining whether the operation would be as secure or as safe as a two-crewmember operation.During the public comment period on this rule, a large number of people expressed support for the requirement of a two-person crew. In a formal letter, 29 people expressed their concerns that a single crewmember 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 account for more than half of all railroad accidents and believe that a larger crew will ensure the safety of both the train and its cargo.TechnologyRailroads for passenger and freight use a wide array of technologies to improve efficiency, increase safety, boost security and more. The rail industry vernacular contains a myriad of unique terms and acronyms, however, some of the most notable developments include machine vision systems, instrumentsed rail inspection systems, driverless trains, rolling data centers, and unmanned aerial vehicles (commonly called drones).Technology isn't just about replacing certain jobs. It allows people to perform their jobs better and more safely. Railroads that transport passengers use smartphones and contactless fare cards to increase passengership and boost the efficiency of their system. Other developments like autonomous rail cars are getting closer to becoming reality.As part of its ongoing effort to ensure safe, reliable and affordable transportation for the nation, the Federal Railroad Administration is focused on modernizing its rail infrastructure. This multi-billion-dollar project will see tunnels, bridges tracks, power systems and tracks updated, and stations renovated or replaced. FRA's recently enacted bipartisan infrastructure law will substantially grow the agency's rail improvement programs.The agency's Office of Research, Development and Technology is a key component of this initiative. The National Academies' recent review of the office revealed that it was successful in engaging, maintaining communication with inputs from a variety of stakeholders. It still needs to be aware of how its research contributes to the department's primary goal of ensuring safe movement of people and goods via rail.The agency could enhance its efficiency by identifying and implementing automated train systems and technology. The Association of American Railroads, the primary freight rail association that focuses on policy, research and standard-setting the Technical Advisory Group on Autonomous Train Operations to help develop industry standards to implement 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 the different levels of automation. This could apply to both rail transit and on-road vehicles. The agency will need to know the amount of risk that the industry sees in fully automated operation, and if the industry is considering additional safeguards to reduce that risk.InnovationRail companies are adopting new technologies to increase worker safety, boost efficiency in business processes and ensure that the cargo they transport is delivered in good condition. Examples of such innovations include the use of cameras and sensors to keep track of freight, and to new railcar designs that help keep hazardous cargo safe during transport. Some of these technologies even offer railroads the ability to send emergency response personnel to locations of accidents so they can swiftly mitigate damage and minimize risk to property and lives.One of the most prominent innovations in rail is Positive Train Control (PTC), which will inhibit train-to-train collisions, situations where trains are on tracks that shouldn't be and other accidents resulting from human errors. The system is a three-part system consisting of onboard locomotive systems that track the train and wayside networks that connect with the locomotive, and an enormous backend server that analyzes and collects data.Passenger railroads are also embracing technology to enhance security and safety. fela lawyers , for example, is experimenting with the use of drones to assist train security staff locate passengers and other items in the event of an emergency. The company is also exploring different ways to use drones, including deploying drones to conduct inspections of bridges and other infrastructure like replacing the lights on railway towers that could be dangerous for workers to climb.Smart track technology is another technology that is used in railways that transport passengers. It can detect objects or people on tracks and notify drivers if it is unsafe to continue. These technologies are particularly useful in detecting crossings that are not authorized or other problems in the evenings when traffic is less and there are less witnesses to an accident.Another significant technological advance in the rail industry is telematics which allows shippers, railroads and other stakeholders to monitor the status and condition of a traincar by real-time tracking. Traincar crews and operators can benefit from greater accountability and visibility which will allow them improve efficiency as well as avoid unnecessary maintenance and delay in the delivery of freight.