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The Federal Railroad Administration and Technology The Federal Railroad Administration creates and enforces safety regulations for rail, provides rail funding and studies strategies for improving rail safety. FRA field inspectors make use of discretion to decide which cases are worthy of the precise and lengthy civil penalty process. This discretion helps ensure that those violations most deserving of punishment are penalized. SMART-TD and its allies created history in 2024 when they convinced the FRA that two people should be allowed to sit in the locomotive cabs of freight trains. The fight is not over. Safety The Federal Railroad Administration has a range of safety measures in place to protect the safety and health of employees and the public. It develops and enforces safety regulations for rail as well as manages funding for rail and researches rail improvement strategies and new technologies. It also formulates and implements a plan to ensure the current rail services, infrastructure and capacity, and strategically develops and improves the national rail network. The department expects all railroad employers to adhere to strict rules and regulations, empower their employees and provide them with tools needed to be successful and safe. This includes participating in the confidential close call reporting system, establishing labor-management occupational health and safety committees with full union participation and anti-retaliation safeguards, and providing employees with needed personal safety equipment. Inspectors of the FRA are at the leading edge of enforcing rail safety laws and regulations. They conduct regular inspections of equipment and conduct hundreds of investigations into complaints of non-compliance. Anyone who violates the safety rules for rail can be penalized civilly. Safety inspectors at the agency have wide discretion to determine if an act is within the definition provided by law of an offense that is punishable by civil penalties. The Office of Chief Counsel’s safety division also scrutinizes the reports submitted by regional offices to ensure that they are legal prior to imposing penalties. The exercise of this discretion at the field and regional levels ensures that the time-consuming, costly civil penalty process is used only in situations that truly warrant the deterrent impact of a civil penalty. A rail worker must be aware of the rules and regulations that govern their actions and be aware of the standards to commit a civil penalty-worthy offense. However the agency doesn't consider anyone who follows a directive from a supervisor as having committed a willful violation. The agency defines “general railroad system” as the whole network that transports passengers and goods within and between metropolitan areas and cities. The trackage of a plant railroad in a steel mill is not 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 movement of dangerous substances. The agency oversees railway finance, including grants and loan for service and infrastructure improvement. The agency works with other DOT agencies as well as industry to devise strategies for improving the rail system of the United States. This includes maintaining the current rail infrastructure and services, responding to the demands for capacity expansion, expanding the network strategically, as well as coordinating the regional and national system planning and development. Although the majority of the agency's work focuses on freight transportation, it also oversees passenger transportation. The agency is working to offer more options for passengers and connect passengers with the places they would like to travel to. The agency's primary focus is on improving the passenger's experience, enhancing safety of the existing fleet, and ensuring that the rail network is operating efficiently. Railroads are required to abide with a variety of federal regulations, including those that deal with the size and composition of train crews. In fela lawsuits has become controversial. Certain states have passed legislation requiring two-person teams on trains. This final rule codifies federally the minimum crew size requirements, ensuring that all railroads follow the same safety standards. This law also requires that each railroad operating a one-person crew notify FRA and submit a risk analysis. This will enable FRA to evaluate the characteristics of each operation with the parameters of a standard two-person crew operation. Additionally this rule will change the criteria for reviewing the special approval petition from to determining whether an operation is “consistent with railroad safety” to determining whether the operation is secure or as safe as a two-crewmember operation. During the time of public comment on this rule, a lot of people voiced their support for a requirement for two persons on the crew. A letter from 29 individuals emphasized their concerns that a single crew member might not be as quick to respond to train-related malfunctions or crossing incidents or assist emergency response personnel at a highway-rail grade crossing. The commenters noted that human factors account for more than half of railroad accidents and they think that a bigger crew will ensure the safety of both the train and its cargo. Technology Trains for passenger and freight use a variety of technologies to improve efficiency, enhance security, and increase safety. The rail industry lingo includes a variety of distinct terms and acronyms but some of the more notable innovations include machines-vision systems, instrumented rail inspection systems, driverless trains rolling data centers and drones that are not piloted (commonly known as drones). Technology isn't just replacing certain jobs — it's empowering people to perform their jobs better and safer. Passenger railroads are using smartphones and contactless fare payment cards in order to boost ridership and make the system more efficient. Other innovations, such as autonomous rail vehicles, are moving closer to becoming reality. The Federal Railroad Administration, as part of its ongoing efforts to promote safe reliable, affordable, and cost-effective transportation in the United States, is focused on modernizing the rail infrastructure. This multi-billion dollar project will see bridges, tunnels tracks, power systems, and tracks updated and stations being rebuilt or replaced. FRA's recently enacted bipartisan infrastructure law will substantially expand the agency's rail improvements programs. 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 revealed that it excelled in keeping in touch using inputs from a variety of stakeholders. But it still needs to focus more on how its research helps the department achieve its primary objective of ensuring the safe transportation of goods and people by railway. The agency could enhance its efficiency by identifying and implementing automated train systems and technologies. The Association of American Railroads, the main freight rail industry industry organization that focuses on policy, research and standardization the Technical Advisory Group on Autonomous Train Operations to help in developing industry standards for implementing the technology. FRA is likely to be interested in the group's creation of an automated rail taxonomy. It is a standardization system that can clearly and consistently define the different levels of automation that could be applicable to both rail and on-road transit vehicles. The agency will also be looking to know the level of risk to safety that the industry believes is associated with implementing fully automated operation and whether the industry is considering additional security measures to reduce the risk. Innovation Railroads are using technology to improve worker safety and improve business processes. efficient and help ensure that the freight it transports arrives at its destination safely. Examples of this innovation range from the use of sensors and cameras to track freight, to the latest railcar designs that help keep hazardous cargo safe during transit. Some of these technologies offer railroads the ability to send emergency responders to locations of accidents so they can quickly mitigate the damage and reduce the risk to property and lives. One of the most renowned innovations in rail is Positive Train Control (PTC), which will inhibit collisions between trains and train, situations where trains are on tracks where they shouldn't be, as well as other accidents resulting from human mistakes. This system 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 collects and analyzes data. Railroads that transport passengers are also embracing technology to improve security and safety. Amtrak for instance, is testing the use of drones to help train security staff locate passengers and other items in the event of an emergency. Amtrak is also looking into ways to use drones. They could be used to inspect 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 can be utilized in railways for passengers. It is able to detect objects or people on tracks and alert drivers that it is unsafe to continue. These technologies are especially effective in detecting unsafe crossings or other issues during the evenings when traffic is less and there are fewer witnesses to an accident. Telematics is a significant technological advancement in the railway industry. It allows shippers, railways and other parties to follow a traincar's progress in real-time. These capabilities provide railcar operators and crews greater accountability and transparency and aid in improving efficiency, avoid unnecessary maintenance and reduce delays in delivering freight to customers.