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The Federal Railroad Administration and TechnologyThe Federal Railroad Administration creates and enforces safety regulations for rail The Federal Railroad Administration also provides funding for rail and conducts research on strategies to improve rail infrastructure.FRA field inspectors use discretion to decide on which cases warrant the exact and time consuming civil penalty process. This discretion helps to ensure that the most serious violations are penalized.SMART-TD and its allies created history by 2024 when they convinced the FRA that two persons should be in the cabs of freight trains. The fight isn't over.SafetyThe Federal Railroad Administration has a range of safety measures in place to safeguard the safety and health of employees and the public. It is responsible for creating and enforcing rail safety regulations. It also administers the funding for rail and studies rail improvement strategies and technological developments. It also formulates and implements a strategy to maintain current infrastructure, rail services and capacity, and strategically develops and improves the national rail network. The department requires all rail companies to abide by strict rules and regulations, empower their workers and provide them with the tools needed to be successful and safe. This includes taking part in the confidential close-call reporting system, setting up labor-management occupational safety and health committees with full-union participation and antiretaliation provisions and providing employees with the needed personal protective gear.FRA inspectors are at the forefront of enforcement of rail safety regulations and laws. They conduct regular inspections of equipment and conduct a myriad of investigations of complaints of noncompliance. Civil penalties are applied to those who break rail safety laws. Safety inspectors from the agency have a broad discretion on whether an incident falls within the statutory definition of a civil penalty-worthy act. The Office of Chief Counsel's safety division also examines all reports submitted by regional offices to ensure that they are legal before assessing penalties. This discretion is exercised at the regional and field levels to ensure that civil penalties are only used when they are necessary.To be considered guilty of a civil violation an employee of a railroad must be aware of the rules and regulations governing their actions. They must also knowingly ignore these rules. The agency does not consider an individual who acted upon a directive from a supervisor has committed a willful offence. The agency defines "general railroad system" as the entire network that carries goods and passengers within and between cities and metropolitan areas. The trackage of a plant railroad in a steelmill is not considered to be part of the overall rail transportation system, despite the fact that it is physically connected.RegulationThe Federal Railroad Administration is responsible for establishing train regulations, such as those relating to safety and the movement of hazardous substances. The agency is responsible for managing rail finance, including grants and loan for service and infrastructure improvement. The agency collaborates with other DOT agencies and industry to devise strategies for improving the rail system of the United States. This includes ensuring the current rail infrastructure and services, addressing the needs for additional capacity and expanding the network strategically, and coordinating the national and regional system planning and development.While most of the agency's activities are focused on freight transportation, it also oversees passenger transportation. The agency is working to offer more options for passenger travel and connect passengers with the places they want to travel to. The agency is focused primarily on improving the experience of passengers and enhancing the safety of the existing fleet and ensuring the rail network is operating efficiently.Railroads must adhere to a number of federal regulations, relating to the size of the crews on trains. In recent times, this issue has become a source of controversy. Some states have passed legislation that requires two-person crews in trains. This final rule defines federally the minimum size of crew requirements, making sure that all railroads adhere to the same safety standards.This also requires every railroad that has one-person train crews to notify FRA of the operation and submit a risk assessment. This will enable FRA to compare the parameters of each operation with the parameters of a standard two-person crew operation. In addition this rule will change the standard of review for an approval petition that is based on determining whether an operation is "consistent with railroad safety" to determining if approving the operation would be as safer or more secure than an operation with two crew members.During the public comment period on this rule, a lot of people supported the requirement for a two-person crew. A form letter sent by 29 people expressed their concern that a single crew member might not be as quick to respond to issues with trains or grade crossing incidents or assist emergency response personnel at a highway rail grade crossing. Commenters pointed out that human factors are responsible for more than half all railroad accidents. They believe that a larger team will ensure the security of the train and its cargo.TechnologyRailroads that transport passengers and freight employ a wide array of technologies to increase efficiency, add safety, boost security and much more. The rail industry lingo includes a variety of specific terms and acronyms, but some of the more notable 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 about replacing certain jobs. It allows people to perform their jobs better and with greater security. Railroads that transport passengers are using smartphones apps and contactless fare payment cards in order to boost ridership and make the system more efficient. Other innovations, like autonomous rail vehicles, are inching closer to becoming reality.The Federal Railroad Administration, as part of its ongoing efforts to ensure secure reliable, affordable, and cost-effective transportation in America is focusing on modernizing the rail infrastructure. This is a multi-billion dollars project that will see tunnels and bridges restored tracks, power systems and tracks upgraded and stations rebuilt or upgraded. FRA's recently passed bipartisan infrastructure law will substantially grow the agency's rail improvement programs.The agency's Office of Research, Development and Technology is a central piece in this effort. The National Academies' recent review of the office concluded that it excelled at engaging, maintaining communications with and using inputs from a variety of stakeholders. It must continue to focus on how its research contributes to the department's main goal of ensuring the safe movement of people and goods by rail.One area in which the agency might be able to improve its effectiveness is in 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 focuses on research and policy, as well as standard setting and has established the Technical Advisory Group for Autonomous Train Operations to assist in helping develop standards within the industry.FRA will be interested in the group's development of an automated rail taxonomy, a standardization system that can clearly and consistently define the different levels of automation that would be applicable to both on-road and rail transit vehicles. The agency will want to know the degree of risk the industry perceives with fully automated operation, and if the industry is considering additional safeguards to reduce that risk.InnovationRail companies are adopting new technologies to enhance worker safety, boost efficiency in business processes, and ensure that the freight they transport reaches its destination intact. These innovations vary from cameras and sensors that monitor freight, to new railcar designs that keep hazardous cargo safe during transportation. Some of these technologies offer railroads the ability to send emergency response personnel to locations of accidents so they can quickly mitigate the damage and reduce the risk to people and property.One of the most renowned innovations in rail is Positive Train Control (PTC) that will stop train-to-train collisions, situations where trains are on tracks where they shouldn't be and other accidents resulting from human errors. This system is a three-part system comprised of onboard locomotive systems that track the train and wayside networks that connect with the locomotive, and a huge backend server that gathers and analyzes data.fela claims railroad employees that transport passengers also use technology to improve security and safety. For instance, Amtrak is experimenting with drones to assist security staff in locating passengers and other items aboard trains in the event in the event of an emergency. The company is also examining ways to utilize drones. They could be used to inspect bridges and other infrastructures or to replace the lights on railway towers that are dangerous for workers to climb.Smart track technology is a different technology that can be used in railways that transport passengers. It can detect objects or people on tracks and warn motorists that it is not safe to continue. These kinds of technologies can be particularly useful in detecting crossings that are not authorized as well as other issues that can arise during times when traffic volumes are lowest and fewer people are around to witness an accident.Another significant technological advance in the rail industry is telematics, which enables railroads, shippers and other stakeholders to see the condition and status of a traincar via real-time tracking. Such capabilities give railcar operators and their crews more accountability and visibility and can aid in improving efficiency, prevent unnecessary maintenance and reduce delays in the delivery of freight to customers.