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The Federal Railroad Administration and Technology The Federal Railroad Administration is responsible for the safety of rail, regulations and enforcement, rail funding and research on improving rail strategies. FRA field inspectors make use of discretion to decide on which cases are worthy of the precise and time consuming civil penalty process. This ensures that those violations most deserving of punishment are punished. Members of SMART-TD and their allies made history in 2024 by pushing the FRA to ensure that two people are in the cabs of locomotives of freight trains. The fight is not over. Safety The Federal Railroad Administration has a variety of safety measures in place to safeguard the health and welfare of its employees and the general public. It is responsible for establishing and enforcing rail safety regulations. It also administers rail funding, and studies rail improvement strategies and technological developments. It also formulates 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 expects that all rail companies adhere to strict regulations and empower their employees, and provide them with the tools to be secure and productive. This includes taking part in the confidential close call reporting system, establishing occupational health and safety committees that have full union participation and protection against retaliation and providing employees with the necessary personal safety equipment. FRA inspectors are on the front lines of enforcement of railway safety laws and regulations. They perform routine inspections on equipment and conduct investigations into hundreds of complaints. Those who violate rail safety laws may be penalized civilly. Safety inspectors at the agency have wide discretion to determine whether a violation falls under the statutory definition of an act punishable by civil penalties. In addition the Office of Chief Counsel's safety division reviews all reports that are received by regional offices to determine legality prior to assessing penalties. This discretion is exercised both at the field and regional levels to ensure that civil penalties are only used in cases that warrant their use. To be guilty of a civil offense, a rail employee must know the rules and regulations that govern their actions. They also must be aware that they not adhere to these rules. The agency does not consider that a person who acts on a supervisor's directive has committed a willful offense. The agency defines the “general railroad system of transportation” as the entire network that passengers and goods travel within metropolitan and city areas, or between them. The trackage of a plant railroad at 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, which includes grants and loan for service and infrastructure improvement. The agency works with other DOT agencies and industry to develop strategies for improving the nation's rail system. This work includes maintaining current rail services and infrastructure and making sure that there is enough capacity and strategically expanding the network, as well as coordinating regional and national systems planning and development. The agency is mostly responsible for freight transportation, but also manages passenger transportation. The agency is working to offer more options for passengers and connect people to the places they'd like to travel to. The agency's primary focus is on improving the passenger's experience, enhancing safety of the current fleet, and making sure that the rail system continues to operate efficiently. Railroads must comply with many federal regulations, relating to the size of the crews on trains. This is controversial in recent years, with some states passing legislation to require two-person crews on trains. This final rule codifies the minimum crew size requirements at the federal level, making sure that all railroads are subject to consistent safety standards. This rule also requires that each railroad operating a one-person crew notify FRA and submit an analysis of risk. This will allow FRA to better understand the specific parameters of each operation and compare them to the parameters of a normal two-person crew operation. Additionally, this rule changes the standard of review for an approval petition that is based on determining whether an operation is “consistent with railroad safety” to determining whether the operation is safer or more secure than an operation with two crew members. During the period of public comments for this rule, a large number of people expressed their support for a requirement of two people on the crew. In a formal letter 29 people expressed their concerns that a single member of the crew would not be able to respond with the speed required to respond to train accidents or malfunctions at grade crossings or assist emergency response personnel at the highway-rail level crossing. Commenters noted that human factor are responsible for more than half all railroad accidents. They believe that a bigger crew would ensure the safety of the train as well as its cargo. Technology Freight and passenger rails use various technologies to increase efficiency, improve safety, and boost security. Rail industry jargon comprises various unique terms and acronyms. Some of the most well-known include machine vision systems (also called drones), instrumented rail-inspection systems, driverless train, rolling data centers, and unmanned aerial vehicle (also called drones). Technology doesn't just replace some jobs. It allows people to do their jobs better and safer. Railroads for passengers use apps on smartphones and contactless fare cards in order to increase passengership and boost the efficiency of their system. Other innovations like autonomous rail cars are coming closer to becoming reality. As part of its ongoing efforts to ensure safe, reliable and affordable transportation for the entire nation In 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 bridges, tunnels, tracks and power systems updated and stations rebuilt or replace. The FRA's rail improvements program will be significantly extended by the recently passed bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The Office of Research, Development and Technology of the agency is a crucial component in this initiative. The National Academies' recent review of the office found that it excelled at engaging, maintaining communication using inputs from a broad range of stakeholders. But it must concentrate on how its research contributes to the department's primary strategic goal of ensuring safe movement of people and goods by railway. One area where the agency might be able improve its effectiveness is in identifying and supporting the development of automated train systems and technologies. The Association of American Railroads (AAR) is the main industry association for the freight rail industry, which focuses on research, policy and standard setting created the Technical Advisory Group for Autonomous Train Operations to assist in helping create standards within the industry. The FRA is interested in the group’s development of a taxonomy for automated rail vehicles which defines clearly and consistently the different levels of automation. This could be applicable to both rail transit and vehicles on the road. fela railroad accident lawyer will also want to understand the level of safety risk that the industry perceives associated when implementing a fully automated system and whether or not the industry is considering additional protections to minimize the risk. Innovation Railroads are embracing technology to improve worker safety and improve business processes. efficient and ensure that the freight they move reaches its destination safely. These innovations vary from cameras and sensors that monitor freight, to new railcar designs which keep hazardous cargo safe during transit. Some of these technologies allow railroads dispatch emergency responders directly to accident sites to minimize the risk and minimize damage to people and property. One of the most renowned innovations in rail is Positive Train Control (PTC), which will inhibit collisions between trains and trains, situations in which trains are on tracks where they shouldn't be, as well as other accidents that are caused by human error. This system is made up of three components of onboard locomotive systems that track the train; wayside networks that communicate with the locomotive; and a massive server that gathers and analyzes data. Railroads that transport passengers are also embracing technology to bolster safety and security. Amtrak for instance, is experimenting with drones to assist security personnel on trains find passengers and other items in the event of an emergency. Amtrak is also looking into ways to make use of drones. They could be used to examine bridges and other infrastructures or to replace the lights on railway towers that are hazardous for workers to climb. Smart track technology is another technology that can be used in passenger railroads. It is able to detect people or objects on tracks and alert drivers if it is unsafe to continue. These types of technologies can be particularly beneficial in detecting unsafe crossings and other problems in the off-hours, when traffic levels are lower and there are fewer people around to witness an accident. Telematics is yet another significant technological advancement in the railway industry. It allows railways, shippers and other stakeholders to monitor a traincar in real-time. Crews and railcar operators will benefit from increased accountability and transparency which can help them increase efficiency, avoid unnecessary maintenance and reduce delays when delivering freight.