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The Federal Railroad Administration and Technology The Federal Railroad Administration is responsible for safety regulations for rail and enforcement, rail funding and research on improving rail strategies. FRA field inspectors make use of discretion to determine which cases are worthy of the precise and time-consuming civil penalty process. This helps ensure that the most serious violations are punished. Allies and members of SMART-TD made history in 2024 when they began pushing the FRA to allow two people in the locomotive cab of freight trains. The fight is not over. Safety The Federal Railroad Administration implements a number of safety measures to ensure the health of its employees and public. It formulates and enforces rail safety regulations as well as manages funding for rail and researches strategies for improving rail and technology. It also creates and implements a plan to ensure that current infrastructure, rail services and capacity, and strategically expands and enhances the national rail network. The department expects all railroad employers to adhere to the strictest rules and regulations, empower their workers and provide them with the tools to succeed and stay secure. This includes taking part in the confidential close-call reporting system, establishing labor-management occupational health and safety committees, with full union participation, as well as anti-retaliation safeguards, and providing employees with the necessary personal safety equipment. Inspectors of the FRA are at the forefront of enforcing safety on rail laws and regulations. They conduct regular inspections of equipment and conduct hundreds of investigations of complaints of non-compliance. Anyone who violates rail safety laws may be punished with civil penalties. Safety inspectors from the agency are able to decide on the extent to which an individual violation is in line with the statutory definition of a civil penalty-worthy act. The Office of Chief Counsel’s safety division also reviews all reports that regional offices submit to ensure that they are legal before assessing penalties. This discretion is exercised at the field and regional levels to ensure that civil penalties are only used in situations that warrant them. To be considered guilty of a civil infringement, a rail employee must be aware of the rules and regulations governing their actions. They must also be aware of and disregard these standards. The agency doesn't consider that a person who acts on a supervisor's directive is guilty of committing a willful crime. 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 and between them. A plant railroad's trackage in the steel mill isn't considered to be part of the overall transportation system that trains even being physically connected to it. Regulation The Federal Railroad Administration sets train regulations, including those pertaining to safety and the movement of hazardous materials. The agency oversees railway finance, including loans and grants for service and infrastructure improvement. The agency collaborates with other DOT agencies and the industry to develop strategies for improving the nation's railway system. This includes ensuring the existing rail infrastructure and services, addressing the need for additional capacity and expanding the network strategically as well as coordinating the regional and national system's development and planning. Although the majority of the agency's activities are focused on freight transportation, it also handles passenger transportation. The agency is working to connect people to the places they want and provide more alternatives for travel. The agency is focused on enhancing the passenger experience as well as improving the safety of the current fleet, and ensuring the rail network is operating efficiently. Railroads must comply with a variety of federal regulations, which include those that deal with the size and composition of the train crews. This issue has become a controversial one in recent years, with a few states enacting legislation that requires two-person crews on trains. This final rule establishes federally the minimum crew size requirements, making sure that all railroads adhere to the same safety standards. This law also requires that each railroad that has a one-person crew notify FRA and submit an analysis of risk. This will enable FRA to assess the requirements of each operation with the parameters of a standard two-person crew operation. This rule also alters the standard for reviewing an approval request that is a special case to determine if an operation is “consistent” with railroad safety to determining if the operation is safer or safer than two-person crew operations. During the public comment period for this rule, a large number of people backed the requirement for a two-person crew. In a form letter 29 people expressed their concerns that a single member of the crew would not be capable of responding as quickly to train malfunctions or incidents at grade crossings, or assist emergency personnel on an elevated highway crossing. The commenters pointed out that human factors account for more than half railroad accidents, and they believe that a larger team will ensure the safety of the train and the cargo it transports. Technology Trains for passenger and freight use a variety of technologies to improve efficiency, increase security, and improve safety. The rail industry lingo includes a variety of distinct terms and acronyms however, some of the most significant developments include machine vision systems, instrumentsed rail inspection systems, driverless trains rolling data centers and drones that are not piloted (commonly called drones). Technology isn't just replacing certain jobs; it's helping people to perform their jobs more efficiently and with greater security. Passenger railroads are using smartphones apps and contactless fare payment cards to increase ridership and make the system more efficient. Other developments like autonomous rail cars are getting closer to reality. As part of its ongoing efforts to improve secure, reliable and affordable transportation options for the country 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 effort will see bridges, tunnels tracks, power systems, and tracks updated and stations being rebuilt or replaced. FRA's recently passed bipartisan infrastructure law will dramatically expand the agency's rail improvements programs. The Office of Research, Development and Technology of the agency is a key part of this initiative. The most recent National Academies review of the office found it excelled at engaging in a continuous dialogue and utilizing the inputs from a range of stakeholders. However, it needs to focus more on how its research aids in the department's main objective of ensuring the safe movement of people and goods by rail. federal employers’ liability act accidentinjurylawyers.claims where the agency might be able to improve its effectiveness is in identifying and supporting the advancement 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, standard-setting and policy, established the Technical Advisory Group for Autonomous Train Operations to assist in helping develop standards within the industry. The FRA is interested in the group’s development of a taxonomy to describe automated rail vehicles which defines clearly and consistently the different levels of automation. This could apply to rail transit as well as vehicles on the road. The agency will also want to know the degree of risk to safety that the industry perceives associated when implementing a fully automated system and whether or not the industry is considering adding additional safeguards to mitigate that risk. Innovation Railroads are embracing technology to increase worker safety, make business processes more efficient and ensure that the freight it transports arrives at its destination in good condition. These innovations vary from cameras and sensors that monitor freight, to new railcar designs that keep hazardous cargo safe during transit. Some of these technologies even allow railroads to dispatch emergency personnel to the scene of an accident so they can swiftly mitigate damage and reduce the risk to property and lives. Positive Train Control (PTC) is one of the most important innovations in rail. It can stop train-to-train accidents, instances when trains are in a position they shouldn't, and other incidents caused by human errors. This system consists of three parts 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 improve security and safety. For instance, Amtrak is experimenting with the use of drones to assist passenger security personnel in locating passengers and other items aboard trains in the event of an emergency. Amtrak is also looking into ways to use drones. They could be used to check bridges and other infrastructure or to replace the lighting on railway towers, which are dangerous for workers to climb. Smart track technology is another technology that can be utilized in railways for passengers. It can detect people or objects on tracks and warn drivers if it is unsafe to continue. These technologies are especially useful for detecting unauthorized crossings or other issues in the evenings when traffic is less 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 see the status and condition of a traincar by real-time tracking. These capabilities provide railcar operators and crews greater control and visibility. They can also aid in improving efficiency, prevent unnecessary maintenance, and prevent delays in delivering freight to customers.