What's Holding Back From The Federal Railroad Industry?
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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 conducts research on strategies to improve rail infrastructure.
FRA field inspectors use discretion to decide which cases are worthy of the precise and lengthy civil penalty process. This allows them to ensure that the most serious violations are punished.
SMART-TD and its allies created history in 2024 when they convinced the FRA that two persons should be allowed in the cabs of freight trains. The fight continues.
Safety
The Federal Railroad Administration implements a variety of safety measures to ensure the health of employees as well as the public. It is responsible for creating and enforcing rail safety regulations. It also manages rail funding and conducts research on improvements to rail strategies and technological developments. It also formulates and implements a plan to ensure that current infrastructure, services, and capacity and strategically expands and enhances the national rail network. The department demands that all rail employers adhere to strict guidelines that empower their employees and provide them with tools to ensure their safety and success. This includes participating in the confidential close-call reporting system, establishing occupational health and safety committees, with full participation from unions and anti-retaliation protections and providing employees with personal safety equipment.
FRA inspectors are at the forefront of enforcement of rail safety regulations and laws. They conduct regular inspections of equipment and conduct hundreds of investigations of complaints of noncompliance. Civil penalties are imposed on those who violate the rail safety laws. The agency's safety inspectors have a broad discretion on whether an incident falls within the statutory description of a criminal penalty-worthy act. The Office of Chief Counsel's safety division also scrutinizes all reports submitted by regional offices to ensure they are legal before assessing penalties. This discretion is exercised both at the field and regional levels to ensure that civil penalties are only applied in situations that warrant them.
A rail employee must be aware of the rules and regulations that govern his or her actions, and not knowingly violate those guidelines to commit a criminal offense that is punishable by a civil penalty. However the agency doesn't take any person who is acting under a direction by a supervisor as having committed a willful violation. The agency defines the "general railroad system of transportation" as the whole network over which goods and passengers travel within metropolitan and city areas and between them. The trackage of a plant railroad in the steel mill isn't considered part of the general rail system of transportation, even though it is physically connected to it.
Regulation
The Federal Railroad Administration is responsible to establish regulations for train operations, such as those relating to safety and the transportation of hazardous substances. The agency manages rail finance, including loans and grants for infrastructure and service improvement. The agency collaborates with other DOT agencies and industry to develop strategies for improving the nation's railroad system. This includes ensuring the current rail infrastructure and services, making sure that there is enough capacity, strategically expanding the network and coordinating regional and national systems planning and development.
The agency is responsible for freight transport, but also supervises passenger transportation. The agency is aiming to provide more options for passenger travel and connect passengers with the places they'd like to go. The agency is focused on improving the experience for passengers, increasing the safety of the existing fleet, and ensuring that the rail network continues to operate efficiently.
Railroads must comply with a range of federal employers’ liability act regulations, which include the ones pertaining to the size and composition of crews on trains. In recent times the issue has been a source of contention. Some states have passed legislation that requires two-person teams on trains. This final rule establishes federally the minimum size of crew requirements, ensuring that all railroads adhere to the same 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 compare the parameters of each operation with the parameters of a standard two-person crew operation. In addition, this rule changes the review standard for an approval petition that is based on determining whether an operation is "consistent with railroad safety" to determining if approving the operation is safer or more secure than an operation with two crew members.
During the period of public comment on this rule, a large number of people voted for a requirement for a two person crew. A letter from 29 individuals emphasized their concerns that a single crew member would not be as quick to respond to train malfunctions or grade crossing incidents or assist emergency response personnel at a highway rail grade crossing. The commenters noted that human factors account for more than half of railroad accidents and they believe that a larger crew will ensure the safety of both the train and its cargo.
Technology
Freight and passenger rails employ a variety of technologies to improve efficiency, enhance safety, and boost security. Rail industry jargon covers various specific terms and acronyms. Some of the most prominent include machine vision systems (also called drones), instrumented rail-inspection systems, driverless train, rolling data centers, and unmanned aerial vehicle (also known as drones).
Technology isn't just replacing certain jobs; it's helping people to perform their jobs more efficiently and with greater security. Passenger railroads use smartphones apps and contactless fare cards in order to increase ridership and improve the efficiency of their system. Other innovations such as autonomous rail cars are moving closer to reality.
As part of its ongoing effort to ensure safe, reliable, and affordable transportation options for the country The Federal Employers’ Railroad Administration is focused on modernizing its rail infrastructure. This is a multi-billion dollars initiative that will see tunnels and bridges restored, tracks and power systems upgraded, and stations reconstructed or replaced. FRA's recently enacted bipartisan infrastructure law will significantly increase the agency's rail improvement programs.
The agency's Office of Research, Development and Technology is a major component of this effort. Recent National Academies review of the office found it excelled at engaging with, maintaining communication and utilizing inputs from a range of stakeholders. It must continue to be aware of how its research contributes towards the department's primary objective of ensuring the safe movement of people and goods via railways.
One area where the agency could be able to improve its effectiveness is in identifying and supporting the advancement of automated train systems and technologies. The Association of American Railroads, the main freight rail industry association that focuses on policy, research and standard setting 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 creation of a taxonomy for automated rail vehicles, a system that defines clearly and consistently different levels of automation. This could be applicable to both rail transit and vehicles on the road. The agency will also need to understand the level of risk to safety that the industry sees with the introduction of fully automated operation and whether or not the industry is considering 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 arrives at its destination in good condition. Examples of this innovations include the use of sensors and cameras to keep track of freight, and to new railcar designs that keep dangerous cargo safe during transit. Some of these technologies allow railroads dispatch emergency responders directly to sites of accidents to reduce the danger and minimize the damage to people and property.
One of the most well-known innovations in rail is Positive Train Control (PTC) that will stop collisions between trains and train, situations where trains are on tracks where they shouldn't be, and other accidents that are caused by human error. This system is a three-part system consisting of locomotives onboard that track the train and wayside networks that connect with the locomotive and a massive backend server that collects and analyzes data.
Passenger railroads also embrace technology to enhance safety and security. Amtrak is one example. It is testing the use of drones to help train security personnel find passengers and other items in an emergency. The company is also exploring different ways to use drones, including deploying drones to conduct inspections of bridges and other infrastructure, for example, replacing the lights on railway towers, which could be hazardous for workers to climb.
Other technologies that could be utilized for railways for passengers include smart track technology, which is able to detect the presence of people or objects on the tracks and send drivers with a warning if it's unsafe to proceed. These kinds of technologies are particularly valuable for detecting unauthorized crossings and other issues during off-hours, when traffic is at its lowest and fewer people are around to witness an accident.
Telematics is yet another significant technological advance in the railway industry. It allows shippers, railways and other parties to follow a traincar's progress in real-time. Such capabilities give railcar operators and crews greater accountability and visibility and can help them improve efficiency, avoid unnecessary maintenance and reduce delays in the delivery of freight to customers.
The Federal Railroad Administration creates and enforces safety regulations for rail, provides rail funding and conducts research on strategies to improve rail infrastructure.
FRA field inspectors use discretion to decide which cases are worthy of the precise and lengthy civil penalty process. This allows them to ensure that the most serious violations are punished.
SMART-TD and its allies created history in 2024 when they convinced the FRA that two persons should be allowed in the cabs of freight trains. The fight continues.
Safety
The Federal Railroad Administration implements a variety of safety measures to ensure the health of employees as well as the public. It is responsible for creating and enforcing rail safety regulations. It also manages rail funding and conducts research on improvements to rail strategies and technological developments. It also formulates and implements a plan to ensure that current infrastructure, services, and capacity and strategically expands and enhances the national rail network. The department demands that all rail employers adhere to strict guidelines that empower their employees and provide them with tools to ensure their safety and success. This includes participating in the confidential close-call reporting system, establishing occupational health and safety committees, with full participation from unions and anti-retaliation protections and providing employees with personal safety equipment.
FRA inspectors are at the forefront of enforcement of rail safety regulations and laws. They conduct regular inspections of equipment and conduct hundreds of investigations of complaints of noncompliance. Civil penalties are imposed on those who violate the rail safety laws. The agency's safety inspectors have a broad discretion on whether an incident falls within the statutory description of a criminal penalty-worthy act. The Office of Chief Counsel's safety division also scrutinizes all reports submitted by regional offices to ensure they are legal before assessing penalties. This discretion is exercised both at the field and regional levels to ensure that civil penalties are only applied in situations that warrant them.
A rail employee must be aware of the rules and regulations that govern his or her actions, and not knowingly violate those guidelines to commit a criminal offense that is punishable by a civil penalty. However the agency doesn't take any person who is acting under a direction by a supervisor as having committed a willful violation. The agency defines the "general railroad system of transportation" as the whole network over which goods and passengers travel within metropolitan and city areas and between them. The trackage of a plant railroad in the steel mill isn't considered part of the general rail system of transportation, even though it is physically connected to it.
Regulation
The Federal Railroad Administration is responsible to establish regulations for train operations, such as those relating to safety and the transportation of hazardous substances. The agency manages rail finance, including loans and grants for infrastructure and service improvement. The agency collaborates with other DOT agencies and industry to develop strategies for improving the nation's railroad system. This includes ensuring the current rail infrastructure and services, making sure that there is enough capacity, strategically expanding the network and coordinating regional and national systems planning and development.
The agency is responsible for freight transport, but also supervises passenger transportation. The agency is aiming to provide more options for passenger travel and connect passengers with the places they'd like to go. The agency is focused on improving the experience for passengers, increasing the safety of the existing fleet, and ensuring that the rail network continues to operate efficiently.
Railroads must comply with a range of federal employers’ liability act regulations, which include the ones pertaining to the size and composition of crews on trains. In recent times the issue has been a source of contention. Some states have passed legislation that requires two-person teams on trains. This final rule establishes federally the minimum size of crew requirements, ensuring that all railroads adhere to the same 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 compare the parameters of each operation with the parameters of a standard two-person crew operation. In addition, this rule changes the review standard for an approval petition that is based on determining whether an operation is "consistent with railroad safety" to determining if approving the operation is safer or more secure than an operation with two crew members.
During the period of public comment on this rule, a large number of people voted for a requirement for a two person crew. A letter from 29 individuals emphasized their concerns that a single crew member would not be as quick to respond to train malfunctions or grade crossing incidents or assist emergency response personnel at a highway rail grade crossing. The commenters noted that human factors account for more than half of railroad accidents and they believe that a larger crew will ensure the safety of both the train and its cargo.
Technology
Freight and passenger rails employ a variety of technologies to improve efficiency, enhance safety, and boost security. Rail industry jargon covers various specific terms and acronyms. Some of the most prominent include machine vision systems (also called drones), instrumented rail-inspection systems, driverless train, rolling data centers, and unmanned aerial vehicle (also known as drones).
Technology isn't just replacing certain jobs; it's helping people to perform their jobs more efficiently and with greater security. Passenger railroads use smartphones apps and contactless fare cards in order to increase ridership and improve the efficiency of their system. Other innovations such as autonomous rail cars are moving closer to reality.
As part of its ongoing effort to ensure safe, reliable, and affordable transportation options for the country The Federal Employers’ Railroad Administration is focused on modernizing its rail infrastructure. This is a multi-billion dollars initiative that will see tunnels and bridges restored, tracks and power systems upgraded, and stations reconstructed or replaced. FRA's recently enacted bipartisan infrastructure law will significantly increase the agency's rail improvement programs.
The agency's Office of Research, Development and Technology is a major component of this effort. Recent National Academies review of the office found it excelled at engaging with, maintaining communication and utilizing inputs from a range of stakeholders. It must continue to be aware of how its research contributes towards the department's primary objective of ensuring the safe movement of people and goods via railways.
One area where the agency could be able to improve its effectiveness is in identifying and supporting the advancement of automated train systems and technologies. The Association of American Railroads, the main freight rail industry association that focuses on policy, research and standard setting 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 creation of a taxonomy for automated rail vehicles, a system that defines clearly and consistently different levels of automation. This could be applicable to both rail transit and vehicles on the road. The agency will also need to understand the level of risk to safety that the industry sees with the introduction of fully automated operation and whether or not the industry is considering 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 arrives at its destination in good condition. Examples of this innovations include the use of sensors and cameras to keep track of freight, and to new railcar designs that keep dangerous cargo safe during transit. Some of these technologies allow railroads dispatch emergency responders directly to sites of accidents to reduce the danger and minimize the damage to people and property.
One of the most well-known innovations in rail is Positive Train Control (PTC) that will stop collisions between trains and train, situations where trains are on tracks where they shouldn't be, and other accidents that are caused by human error. This system is a three-part system consisting of locomotives onboard that track the train and wayside networks that connect with the locomotive and a massive backend server that collects and analyzes data.
Passenger railroads also embrace technology to enhance safety and security. Amtrak is one example. It is testing the use of drones to help train security personnel find passengers and other items in an emergency. The company is also exploring different ways to use drones, including deploying drones to conduct inspections of bridges and other infrastructure, for example, replacing the lights on railway towers, which could be hazardous for workers to climb.
Other technologies that could be utilized for railways for passengers include smart track technology, which is able to detect the presence of people or objects on the tracks and send drivers with a warning if it's unsafe to proceed. These kinds of technologies are particularly valuable for detecting unauthorized crossings and other issues during off-hours, when traffic is at its lowest and fewer people are around to witness an accident.
Telematics is yet another significant technological advance in the railway industry. It allows shippers, railways and other parties to follow a traincar's progress in real-time. Such capabilities give railcar operators and crews greater accountability and visibility and can help them improve efficiency, avoid unnecessary maintenance and reduce delays in the delivery of freight to customers.
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