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The federal employers liability 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 employ discretion to determine which cases merit the time-consuming and precise civil penalty process. This allows them to ensure that those violations most deserving of punishment are punished.

SMART-TD members and allies made history in 2024 when they began pushing the FRA to ensure that two people are in the cabs of locomotives of freight trains. The fight isn't over.

Safety

The fela federal employers liability act Railroad Administration has a variety of safety measures in place to protect the safety and health of its employees and the general public. It is responsible for developing and enforcing regulations for rail safety. It also oversees the funding for rail and studies rail improvement strategies and technologies. It also develops and implements a strategy to maintain current rail services, infrastructure and capacity and strategically expands and enhances the national rail network. The department requires all railroad employers to adhere to the strictest rules and regulations, and empower their employees and provide them with the tools to succeed and stay secure. This includes participating in a confidential close-call reporting system, creating labor-management occupational safety and health committees, with full union participation and antiretaliation provisions and providing employees with the needed personal protective gear.

FRA inspectors are at the forefront of enforcement of the rail safety regulations and laws. They conduct regular inspections of equipment and conduct a multitude of investigations into complaints of noncompliance. Civil penalties can be applied to those who break railroad safety laws. The agency's safety inspectors are able to decide on the extent to which an individual violation is in line with the legal definition of a civil penalty-worthy act. In addition the Office of Chief Counsel's security division reviews all reports received from regional offices to determine their legal sufficiency before assessing penalties. This discretion is exercised at both the regional and field levels to ensure that civil penalties are only applied in situations that warrant them.

Rail employees must be aware of rules and regulations that govern their actions and knowingly disregard those standards to commit a criminal offense that is punishable by a civil penalty. However, the agency does not take any person who follows a directive from a supervisor to have committed an intentional violation. The agency defines the "general railroad system of transportation" as the entire network that allows passengers and goods to travel within metropolitan and city areas or between them. A plant railroad's trackage in the steel mill isn't considered 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 train regulations, such as those relating to safety and the transportation of hazardous substances. The agency also oversees rail financing which includes loans and grants for infrastructure and service improvements. The agency collaborates with other DOT agencies and the industry to devise strategies to improve the nation's railway system. This includes ensuring the current rail infrastructure and services, addressing the needs for new capacity, expanding the network strategically, and coordinating regional and national system planning and development.

The agency is mostly responsible for freight transportation but also oversees passenger transport. The agency aims to connect people to destinations they desire and offer more options for travel. The agency is focused on improving the experience for passengers, enhancing the safety of the current fleet, and ensuring the railway system continues to function efficiently.

Railroads are required to comply with a number of federal regulations, which include the ones pertaining to the size and composition of train crews. In recent times, this issue has become a source of controversy. Certain states have passed legislation requiring two-person teams on trains. This final rule codifies the minimum requirements for crew size at an international level, and ensures that all railroads are subject to consistent safety standards.

This rule also requires that every railroad operating with a crew of one notify FRA and submit an analysis of risk. This will allow FRA to identify the specifics of each operation and compare them to those of a typical two-person crew operation. Additionally, this rule changes the criteria for reviewing a special approval petition from determining whether the operation is "consistent with railroad safety" to determining if approving the operation is secure or as safe as an operation with two crew members.

During the time of public comment on this rule, a number of people voiced their support for a requirement of a two person crew. In a letter to the editor, 29 people expressed their concern that a single crew member will not be capable of responding in a timely manner to train malfunctions or incidents at grade crossings or assist emergency response personnel on the highway-rail level crossing. Commenters emphasized that human factor are responsible for a majority of railroad accidents. They believe that a larger crew would ensure the safety of the train as well as its cargo.

Technology

Trains for passenger and freight use a variety of technologies to increase efficiency, increase safety, and boost security. The rail industry lingo includes a variety of distinct terms and acronyms but some of the more significant developments include machines-vision systems, instrumented rail inspection systems, driverless trains rolling data centers and drones that are not piloted (commonly called drones).

Technology isn't merely replacing jobs -- it's empowering individuals to perform their work better and safer. Railroads for passengers use apps on smartphones and contactless fare cards in order to increase ridership and improve the efficiency of their system. Other innovations, like autonomous rail vehicles, are moving closer to reality.

The Federal Railroad Administration, as part of its ongoing efforts to ensure secure, reliable, and affordable transportation in America is focusing on modernizing the rail infrastructure. This multi-billion-dollar effort will see tunnels, bridges tracks, power systems and tracks upgraded and stations being rebuilt or replaced. The FRA's rail improvements program will be substantially extended by the recently passed bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The Office of Research, Development and Technology of the agency is an essential part of this effort. The National Academies' recent review of the office revealed that it excelled at engaging, maintaining communications using inputs from a wide range of stakeholders. But it still needs to focus more on how its research aids in the department's main strategic goal of ensuring the safe movement of goods and people by rail.

One area where the agency may be able improve its effectiveness is in identifying and assisting the advancement of automated train systems and technologies. The Association of American Railroads, the main freight rail industry industry organization that focuses on policy, research and standard-setting the Technical Advisory Group on Autonomous Train Operations to assist in the development of industry standards to implement the technology.

FRA will be interested in the group's development of an automated rail taxonomy, a standardization system that can clearly and consistently define the different levels of automation that could be applicable to both rail and on-road transit vehicles. The agency will need to know the amount of risk the industry perceives with fully automated operation, and if the industry is contemplating any additional safeguards to minimize that risk.

Innovation

Rail companies are adopting new technologies to enhance worker safety, increase efficiency in business processes and ensure that the cargo they transport reaches its destination in good condition. These innovations include cameras and sensors that monitor freight to innovative railcar designs which keep hazardous cargo safe during transportation. Some of these technologies provide a way for railroads to send emergency responders to areas of accidents so that they can swiftly mitigate risks to people and property.

Positive Train Control (PTC) is among the most important innovations in rail. It will keep train-to-train accidents out of the way, as well as situations where trains are on track they shouldn't, and other incidents caused by human errors. This system is made up of three parts of onboard locomotive systems that track the train; wayside networks that communicate with the locomotive; and a huge server that collects and analyses data.

Passenger railroads are also embracing technology to bolster security and safety. Amtrak is one example. It is experimenting with the use of drones to assist train security staff locate passengers and other items in the event of an emergency. Amtrak is also looking into ways to use drones. They could be used to inspect bridges and other infrastructures or to replace the lights on railway towers, which are dangerous for workers to climb.

Other technologies that can be utilized for railways for passengers include smart track technology, which can detect the presence of people or objects on the tracks and send out drivers with a warning if it's unsafe for them to proceed. These technologies are especially effective in detecting unsafe crossings or other issues in the evenings, when traffic is low and there are less witnesses to an accident.

Another important technological breakthrough in the railway industry is telematics which allows railroads, shippers and other stakeholders to monitor the condition and status of a traincar through real-time tracking. Such capabilities give railcar operators and their crews more accountability and transparency and aid in improving efficiency, prevent unnecessary maintenance, and prevent delays in delivering freight to customers.