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The Federal Railroad Administration and Technology The Federal Railroad Administration is responsible for the safety of rail, regulations and enforcement, as well as funding for rail, and research on rail improvement strategies. FRA field inspectors make use of discretion to decide which cases are worthy of the precise and time-consuming civil penalty process. This helps ensure that the most serious violations are penalized. SMART-TD members and 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 continues. Safety The Federal Railroad Administration implements a number of safety measures to safeguard the health of employees and public. It formulates and enforces rail safety regulations and oversees the funding for rail. It also studies strategies for improving rail infrastructure and technologies. It also formulates and implements a plan to ensure the current rail services, infrastructure and capacity, and strategically develops and improves the nation's rail network. The department demands that all rail employers adhere to strict rules that empower their employees and provide them with tools to be safe and successful. This includes participation in the confidential close call reporting system, establishing labor-management occupational health and safety committees that have full participation from unions and anti-retaliation protections and providing employees with needed personal safety equipment. FRA inspectors are on the front lines of enforcement of the rail safety regulations and laws. They conduct routine inspections on equipment and investigate complaints from hundreds of people. fela railroad accident lawyer are handed out to those who violate the rail safety laws. The safety inspectors of the agency are able to decide on the extent to which a particular violation meets the legal definition of a civil penalty-worthy act. In addition the Office of Chief Counsel's safety department reviews all reports received from regional offices to determine their legal sufficiency before assessing penalties. The exercise of this discretion both at the regional and field levels helps ensure that the time-consuming, costly civil penalty process is used only in those situations that truly warrant the deterrent impact of a civil penalty. To be considered guilty of a civil infringement, a rail employee must know the rules and regulations that govern the conduct of his or her employees. They also must be aware that they ignore these rules. The agency does not believe an individual who acted on a supervisor's directive has committed a willful offense. The agency defines the “general railroad system of transportation” as the whole network that allows passengers and goods to travel within cities and metropolitan areas and between them. A plant railroad's trackage in the steel mill isn't considered to be 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 that pertain to safety and the transportation of hazardous substances. The agency oversees rail finance, including grants and loan for service and infrastructure improvement. The agency collaborates with other DOT agencies as well as industry to develop strategies for improving the nation's rail infrastructure. This includes ensuring the current rail infrastructure and services, addressing the needs for new capacity, expanding the network strategically, as well as coordinating the regional and national system development and planning. The agency is responsible for freight transport, but also manages passenger transportation. The agency aims to connect people to places they'd like to visit and offer more options for travel. The agency's focus is on improving the experience of passengers as well as enhancing the safety of its existing fleet, and ensuring that the rail network continues operating efficiently. Railroads must abide by a variety of federal regulations, including those pertaining to the size of crews on trains. This issue has become an issue of contention in recent years, with some states enacting legislation that requires two-person crews on trains. This final rule defines federally the minimum crew size requirements, making sure that all railroads adhere to the same safety standards. This rule also requires that every railroad operating a one-person crew notify FRA and submit a risk analysis. This will allow FRA to better understand the specific parameters of each operation and compare them with those of a typical two-person crew operation. This rule also alters the criteria for reviewing a special approval request from determining if an operation is “consistent” with railroad safety to determining if the operation is safer or less risky than a two-person crew operations. During the public comment period on this rule, many people supported a two-person crew requirement. In a letter to the editor 29 people expressed their concerns that a single member of the crew is not capable of responding in a timely manner to train accidents or malfunctions at grade crossings or assist emergency response personnel on a highway-rail level crossing. The commenters noted that human factors are responsible for more than half railroad accidents and they think that a bigger crew could help ensure the safety of both the train and its cargo. Technology Freight and passenger rails employ a variety of technologies to improve efficiency, increase safety, and boost security. The rail industry vernacular contains a myriad of specific terms and acronyms, however, some of the most significant developments include machine vision systems, instrumented rail inspection systems, driverless trains rolling data centers, and unmanned aerial vehicles (commonly known as drones). Technology isn't just replacing some jobs; it's helping people to perform their jobs more efficiently and with greater security. Passenger railroads use smartphones apps and contactless fare cards to increase passengership and boost the efficiency of their system. Other innovations like autonomous rail cars are coming closer to reality. As part of its ongoing effort to improve safe, reliable and affordable transportation options for the country, the Federal Railroad Administration is focused on modernizing its rail infrastructure. This is a multi-billion dollar effort that will see bridges and tunnels repaired as well as tracks and power systems upgraded, and stations rebuilt or replaced. The FRA's rail improvements program will be substantially expanded by the recently passed bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The Office of Research, Development and Technology of the agency is an essential element in this initiative. The National Academies' recent review of the office concluded that it excelled in keeping in touch using inputs from a variety of stakeholders. It must continue to focus on how its research contributes towards the department's primary goal of ensuring the safe movement of people and goods via rail. One area in which the agency may be able to improve its effectiveness is by identifying and assisting 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 and has established a Technical Advisory Group for Autonomous Train Operations to help establish standards for the industry. FRA is likely to be interested in the group's development of an automated rail taxonomy. It is a standard that will clearly and consistently define the different levels of automation that could be applicable to both on-road and rail transit vehicles. The agency will need to know the amount of risk that the industry sees in fully automated operation, and if the industry is contemplating any additional safeguards to minimize that risk. Innovation Rail companies are embracing technology to improve worker safety, boost efficiency in business processes, and ensure that the freight they transport is delivered in good condition. These innovations include cameras and sensors that monitor freight to innovative railcar designs that help keep dangerous cargo safe during transportation. Some of these technologies even offer railroads the ability to send emergency response personnel to areas of accidents so that they can swiftly mitigate damage and minimize risk to property and lives. Positive Train Control (PTC) is one of the most important innovations in rail. It will keep train-to-train accidents out of the way, as well as situations when trains are in a position they shouldn't be, and other accidents caused by human error. This system is made up of three components of onboard locomotive systems that track the train; wayside networks which communicate with the locomotive and a huge server that collects and analyses data. Trains for passengers also adopt technology to improve security and safety. Amtrak is one example. It is testing the use of drones to assist train security personnel locate passengers and other items in the event of an emergency. The company is also exploring ways to make use of drones. They could be used to check bridges and other infrastructure or to replace the lights on railway towers, which are dangerous for workers to climb. Smart track technology is another technology that is used in railways for passengers. It is able to detect people or objects on tracks and warn motorists that it is not safe to continue. These technologies are particularly useful for detecting unauthorized crossings or other issues during the evenings when the traffic is lower and there are less witnesses to an accident. Telematics is another important technological advancement in the rail industry. It allows railways, shippers and other stakeholders, to track a traincar in real-time. Crews and railcar operators can benefit from greater accountability and transparency which can help them to increase efficiency as well as avoid unnecessary maintenance and delay in the delivery of freight.