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The Federal Railroad Administration and TechnologyThe 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 decide on which cases merit the precise and time-consuming civil penalty process. This ensures that the violations most deserving of punishment are penalized.SMART-TD and its allies created history by 2024 when they convinced the FRA that two people should be in the cabs of freight trains. The fight continues.SafetyThe Federal Railroad Administration has a variety of safety measures in place to ensure the health and welfare of its employees and the general public. It is responsible for establishing and enforcing regulations for rail safety. It also oversees rail funding, and studies rail improvement strategies and technology. It also creates plans, implements and maintains plans for the maintenance of the current rail infrastructure and services. It also expands and improves strategically the national rail network. The department expects all railroad employers to adhere to the strictest rules and regulations, empower their employees and provide them with tools to succeed and stay secure. This includes participating in the confidential close-call reporting system, establishing occupational health and safety committees with full participation from unions and anti-retaliation protections and providing employees with the necessary 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 complaints from hundreds of people. Civil penalties can be imposed on those who violate railroad safety laws. Safety inspectors from the agency have a wide discretion to determine whether an act is within the definition provided by law of an offense that is punishable with civil penalties. In addition the Office of Chief Counsel's safety division reviews all reports that are received by regional offices for legality before determining penalties. The exercise of this discretion both at the field and regional levels helps ensure that the lengthy, time-consuming civil penalty process is utilized only in situations that are truly deserving of the effect of a civil penalty.A rail worker must be aware of rules and regulations that govern his or her actions, and not knowingly violate those standards to be guilty of a civil penalty-worthy offence. The agency does not consider that an individual who acts in response to a supervisor's direction has committed a willful offence. The agency defines the "general railroad system of transportation" as the entire system over which goods and passengers travel within metropolitan areas and between them. The trackage of a plant railroad within the steel mill is not considered to be part of the general rail transportation system, even though it is physically connected.RegulationThe Federal Railroad Administration is responsible for establishing regulations for trains, such as those relating to safety and the transportation of hazardous substances. The agency is responsible for managing rail finance, including grants and loan to improve service and infrastructure. The agency collaborates with other DOT agencies and with industry to develop strategies for improving the country's railroad system. This includes maintaining the current rail infrastructure and services, addressing the need for additional capacity, expanding the network strategically, and coordinating the regional and national system's development and planning.The agency is mostly responsible for freight transport, but also manages passenger transportation. The agency is working to offer more options for passengers and connect passengers with the places they want to go. The agency is focused on enhancing the passenger experience, improving the safety of the existing fleet, and making sure that the railway system continues to function efficiently.Railroads must comply with a variety of federal regulations, including the ones pertaining to the size and composition of train crews. This is an issue of contention in recent years, with several states passing legislation that requires two-person crews on trains. This final rule establishes federally the minimum size of crew requirements, making sure that all railroads adhere to the same safety standards.This rule also requires that every railroad operating with a crew of one notify FRA and submit a risk analysis. This will enable FRA to evaluate the characteristics of each operation to the parameters of a standard two-person crew operation. This rule also changes the review standard of an application for special approval from determining whether an operation is "consistent" with railroad safety to determining if the operation is as secure or more secure than a two-person crew operations.During the period of public comments for this rule, a lot of people voiced their support for a requirement of two people on the crew. In a form letter, 29 people expressed their concerns that a single member of the crew is not able to respond as quickly to incidents or train malfunctions at grade crossings or assist emergency response personnel on an elevated highway crossing. Commenters emphasized that human factors are responsible for more than half all railroad accidents. They believe that a bigger crew could ensure the safety of the train and its cargo.TechnologyRailroads for passenger and freight use a wide array of technologies to improve efficiency, increase security, increase safety and more. The rail industry lingo includes many distinct terms and acronyms however, some of the most notable developments include machine vision systems, instrumented rail inspection systems, driverless trains, rolling data centers and drones that are not piloted (commonly known as drones).Technology isn't only able to replace certain jobs. It helps people perform their jobs better and more safely. Passenger railroads use smartphones apps and contactless fare cards in order to increase ridership and improve the efficiency of their system. Other developments like autonomous rail cars are coming closer to reality.The Federal Railroad Administration, as part of its ongoing efforts to improve secure, reliable, and affordable transportation in the United States is focusing on modernizing the rail infrastructure. This is a multi-billion dollar project that will see bridges and tunnels rebuilt, tracks and power systems upgraded, and stations reconstructed or upgraded. The recently passed bipartisan infrastructure law will dramatically grow the agency's rail improvement programs.The Office of Research, Development and Technology of the agency is a crucial component in this effort. The most recent National Academies review of the office revealed that it was successful in engaging, maintaining communication and using inputs of a wide range of stakeholders. It is still required to be aware of how its research contributes to the department's primary objective of ensuring safe movement of people and goods by railways.The agency could improve its efficiency by identifying and implementing automated train systems and technologies. The Association of American Railroads, the primary freight rail business organization that is focused on policy, research and standard-setting, has established a Technical Advisory Group on Autonomous Train Operations to assist in the development of industry standards for implementing the technology.FRA is likely to be interested in the development of an automated rail taxonomy, which is a standard that will clearly and consistently define different levels of automation that will be applicable to both rail and on-road transit vehicles. The agency will also be looking to understand the level of safety risk that the industry perceives associated with the introduction of fully automated operation and whether or not the industry is considering adding additional safeguards to mitigate that risk.InnovationRail companies are embracing technology to enhance worker safety, improve efficiency in business processes, and ensure that the cargo they transport reaches its destination in good condition. These innovations include cameras and sensors that monitor freight to new railcar designs that keep hazardous cargo safe during transport. Some of these technologies enable railroads to dispatch emergency responders directly to sites of accidents to minimize risk and minimize damage to people and property.Positive Train Control (PTC) is one of the most significant innovations in rail. It will stop train-to-train accidents, instances when trains are in a position they shouldn't be, and other accidents caused by human errors. This system consists of three parts: onboard locomotive systems which track the train; wayside networks which communicate with the locomotive; and a huge server that collects and analyses data.Railroads that transport passengers also use technology to enhance security and safety. Amtrak for instance, is experimenting with drones to assist train security staff locate passengers and other items in an emergency. The company is also exploring ways to utilize drones. fela lawyer could be used to check bridges and other infrastructures or to replace the lighting on railway towers, which are dangerous for workers to climb.Smart track technology is another technology that can be used in railways for 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 valuable for detecting unauthorized crossings as well as other issues that can arise during off-hours, when traffic levels are lower and fewer people are around to witness an accident.Telematics is another important technological advance in the railway industry. It lets railways, shippers, and other parties to monitor 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 avoid delays when delivering freight.