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The Federal Railroad Administration and Technology The Federal Railroad Administration is responsible for rail safety regulations and enforcement, rail funding and research on rail improvement strategies. FRA inspectors on the ground employ discretion to decide which cases merit the time-consuming and precise civil penalty process. This discretion helps to ensure that the most serious violations are penalized. SMART-TD members and allies made history in 2024 by pushing the FRA to keep two people in the locomotive cab of freight trains. The fight is not over. Safety The Federal Railroad Administration implements a variety of safety measures to safeguard the health of employees and public. It is responsible for developing and enforcing rail safety regulations. It also manages the funding for rail and studies rail improvement strategies and technological developments. It also develops the implementation and maintenance of plans for the maintenance of current rail services and infrastructure. It also develops and improves the national rail network. The department expects all rail employers to adhere to the strictest rules and regulations, empower their workers and provide them with tools to be successful and secure. This includes participating in the confidential close-call reporting system, establishing occupational health and safety committees that have full participation from unions and anti-retaliation safeguards, and providing employees with personal protection equipment. Inspectors of the FRA are at the forefront of enforcing rail safety regulations and laws. They perform routine inspections on equipment and investigate hundreds of complaints. Civil penalties are imposed on those who violate rail safety laws. The safety inspectors of the agency have broad discretion over whether a particular violation meets the legal definition of a criminal penalty-worthy act. Additionally the Office of Chief Counsel's security division examines all reports submitted by regional offices to determine legal sufficiency before assessing penalties. This discretion is exercised at both the field and regional levels to ensure that civil penalties are only applied when they are necessary. A rail employee must be aware of rules and regulations that govern his or her actions and be aware of the guidelines to be guilty of a civil penalty-worthy offence. The agency doesn't consider an individual who acted in response to a supervisor's direction has committed a willful offence. The agency defines “general railroad system” as the whole network that carries goods and passengers between cities and metropolitan areas. The trackage of a plant railroad at the steel mill isn't considered part of the general transportation system that trains, even being physically connected to it. Regulation The Federal Railroad Administration is responsible to establish regulations for train operations that pertain to safety and the movement of hazardous substances. The agency manages rail finance, including grants and loan for infrastructure and service improvement. The agency collaborates with other DOT agencies and industry to devise strategies for improving the nation's rail infrastructure. This includes ensuring the current rail infrastructure and services, addressing the needs for additional capacity and expanding the network strategically and coordinating regional and national system planning and development. While most of the agency's activities are focused on freight transportation, it also manages the transportation of passengers. The agency aims to connect people to destinations they desire and offer more choices for travel. The agency's primary focus is on enhancing the experience for passengers and enhancing the safety of the current fleet, and making sure that the rail network continues operating efficiently. Railroads must adhere to a number of federal regulations, including those related to the size of crews on trains. In recent times, this issue has become a source of controversy. Certain states have passed legislation mandating two-person crews in trains. This final rule defines federally the minimum size of crew requirements, ensuring that all railroads follow the same safety standards. This law also requires that each 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 to the standard two-person crew operation. This rule also alters the standard for reviewing a special approval request from determining whether an operation is “consistent” with railroad safety to determining if the operation is as secure or less risky than a two-person crew operations. During the public comment period for this rule, a lot of people backed a two-person crew requirement. In a form letter 29 people expressed their concern that a single crew member would not be able to respond as quickly to train accidents or malfunctions at grade crossings, or assist emergency response personnel on a highway-rail level crossing. Commenters pointed out that human factors are responsible for more than half of all railroad accidents. They believe that a larger team would ensure the safety of the train and its cargo. Technology Railroads for passenger and freight use numerous technologies to increase efficiency, improve security, increase safety and more. Rail industry jargon comprises a variety of unique terms and acronyms. Some of the most well-known include machine vision systems (also called drones) instruments for rail-inspection systems, driverless train rolling data centers and unmanned aerial vehicles (also called drones). Technology isn't merely replacing jobs, it's also empowering people to do their job more efficiently and with greater security. Railroads that transport passengers use smartphones and contactless fare cards to boost ridership and increase the efficiency of their system. Other innovations, such as autonomous rail vehicles, are moving closer to becoming a reality. As part of its ongoing efforts to advance safe, 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 is a multi-billion-dollar initiative that will see tunnels and bridges restored as well as tracks and power systems upgraded, and stations rebuilt or upgraded. The recently passed bipartisan infrastructure law will substantially expand the agency's rail improvements programs. The agency's Office of Research, Development and Technology is a key component of this effort. The most recent National Academies review of the office found it excelled at engaging in a continuous dialogue and utilizing the inputs from a variety of stakeholders. It still needs to be aware of how its research contributes towards the department's primary goal of ensuring the safe movement of people and goods via railways. fela lawyers where the agency may be able to increase its effectiveness is by identifying and assisting the development of automated train technology and systems. The Association of American Railroads (AAR) is the principal industry association for the freight rail industry, which is focused on research policy, standard-setting and policy and has established the Technical Advisory Group for Autonomous Train Operations in order to help establish standards for 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 apply to both rail transit and on-road vehicles. The agency would like to know the amount of risk the industry sees in fully automated operation, as well as whether the industry is contemplating any additional measures to mitigate that risk. Innovation Railroads are embracing technology to improve worker safety and improve business processes. efficient and help ensure that the cargo that they transport arrives at its destination in good condition. These innovations vary from cameras and sensors that monitor freight to new railcar designs which keep hazardous cargo safe during transportation. Some of these technologies allow railroads to send emergency response personnel to the scene of an accident so they can quickly mitigate the damage and reduce the 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 where they shouldn't be, as well as other accidents that are caused by human mistakes. It is a three-part system comprised of locomotives onboard that track the train and wayside networks that connect with the locomotive and an enormous backend server that analyzes and collects data. Trains for passengers also adopt 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 items on board trains in case of an emergency. The company is also exploring ways to use drones. They could be used to examine bridges and other infrastructures or to replace the lights on railway towers that are dangerous for workers to climb. Smart track technology is another technology that can be used in passenger railroads. It can detect objects or people on tracks and warn 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 the traffic is lower and there are fewer witnesses to an accident. Telematics is another important technological breakthrough in the rail industry. It allows railways, shippers and other parties to track a traincar in real-time. Crews and railcar operators can benefit from greater accountability and visibility, which will help them to improve efficiency and avoid unnecessary maintenance. It will also help reduce delays when delivering freight.