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The Federal Railroad Administration and Technology The Federal Railroad Administration creates and enforces rail safety regulations The Federal Railroad Administration also provides funding for rail and researches rail improvement strategies FRA field inspectors use discretion to determine which cases are worthy of the precise and lengthy civil penalty process This allows them to ensure that the most serious violations of punishment are punished SMARTTD and its allies created history by 2024 when they convinced the FRA that two persons should be allowed to sit in the cabs of freight trains The fight continues Safety The Federal Railroad Administration implements a variety of safety measures to safeguard the health of employees as well as the public It is responsible for establishing and enforcing safety regulations for rail It also oversees rail funding and conducts research on rail improvement strategies and technology It also develops and implements a strategy to ensure the current infrastructure services and capacity and strategically expands and improves the nations rail network The department requires that all rail companies adhere to strict regulations that empower their employees and provide them with the tools to be secure and productive This includes participating in the confidential closecall reporting system setting up labormanagement occupational health and safety committees with full union participation and protection against retaliation and providing employees with needed personal protection equipment FRA inspectors are on the front lines of enforcement of railway safety laws and regulations They conduct routine inspections on equipment and conduct investigations into hundreds of complaints Civil penalties can be imposed on those who violate the rail safety laws Safety inspectors at the agency have wide discretion to determine whether violations fall within the definition provided by law of an act punishable with civil penalties In addition the Office of Chief Counsels safety department examines all reports submitted from regional offices to determine their legality before determining penalties fela claims railroad employees of this discretion at the regional and field levels helps ensure that the timeconsuming costly civil penalty process is used only in situations which truly warrant the deterrent impact of a civil penalty A rail employee must be aware of rules and regulations that govern his actions and not knowingly violate those guidelines to commit a civil penaltyworthy offense However the agency does not consider any individual who is acting under a direction from a supervisor as having committed an intentional violation The agency defines general railroad system as the whole network that transports passengers and goods between metropolitan areas and cities The trackage of a plant railroad in the steel mill isnt considered to be part of the general transportation system by rail even although it is physically connected to it Regulation The Federal Railroad Administration sets train regulations including those pertaining to safety and movement of hazardous materials The agency also manages financing for rail including grants and loans for improvements to infrastructure and service The agency works with other DOT agencies and the industry to develop strategies for improving the nations railway system This includes ensuring the current rail infrastructure and services as well as addressing the need for new capacity strategically expanding the network and coordinating regional and national systems planning and development The agency is mostly responsible for freight transport but also manages passenger transportation The agency is aiming to provide more options for passengers and connect passengers with the places they want to go The agency is focused primarily on improving the passengers experience and enhancing the safety of the current fleet and making sure that the rail system continues to operate efficiently Railroads are required to comply with a number of federal regulations which include those that deal with the size and composition of train crews In recent years the issue has been a source of contention Some states have passed legislation mandating twoperson teams on trains This final rule codifies the minimum crew size requirements at a federal level ensuring that all railroads are held to the same safety standards This rule also requires that each railroad that has a oneperson crew notify FRA and submit a risk analysis This will allow FRA to better identify the specifics of each operation and compare them to those of a normal twoperson crew operation This rule also alters the criteria for reviewing an application for special approval from determining if an operation is consistent with railroad safety to determining if the operation is as safe or more secure than a twoperson crew operation During the time of public comments for this rule a number of people expressed their support for a requirement of a two person crew In a letter to the editor 29 people expressed their concerns that a single crewmember would not be in a position to respond as quickly to train malfunctions or incidents at grade crossings or assist emergency personnel on a highwayrail level crossing Commenters pointed out that human factor are responsible for more than half all railroad accidents They believe that a larger crew will ensure the security of the train as well as its cargo Technology Freight and passenger rails employ different technologies to increase efficiency increase safety and boost security The rail industry lingo contains a myriad of specific terms and acronyms but some of the most notable innovations include machine vision systems instrumentsed rail inspection systems driverless trains rolling data centers and unmanned aerial vehicles commonly known as drones Technology isnt just replacing certain jobs its helping people to do their job more efficiently and with greater security Passenger railroads use smartphones apps and contactless fare cards to increase ridership and increase the efficiency of their system Other developments like autonomous rail vehicles are inching closer to reality As part of its ongoing efforts to improve safe reliable and affordable transportation for the entire nation The Federal Railroad Administration is focused on modernizing its rail infrastructure This is a multibilliondollar initiative that will see bridges and tunnels repaired tracks and power systems upgraded and stations rebuilt or replaced The recently passed bipartisan infrastructure law will substantially increase the agencys rail improvement programs The Office of Research Development and Technology of the agency is a crucial part of this initiative The National Academies recent review of the office found that it excelled at engaging maintaining communication with and using inputs from a broad range of stakeholders But it must focus more on how its research contributes to the departments primary strategic goal of ensuring the safe movement of people and goods via railway One area in which the agency may be able to improve its effectiveness is in identifying and assisting the advancement of automated train systems and technologies The Association of American Railroads the freight rail industrys primary association that focuses on research policy and standardsetting the Technical Advisory Group on Autonomous Train Operations to help develop industry standards to implement the technology FRA is likely to be interested in the groups creation of an automated rail taxonomy which is a standardization system that can clearly and consistently define the different levels of automation that would be applicable to both rail and onroad transit vehicles The agency will need to know the amount of risk the industry perceives with fully automated operation and whether the industry is considering additional safeguards to reduce the risk Innovation Rail companies are adopting new technologies to enhance worker safety boost efficiency in business processes and ensure that the cargo they transport arrives at its destination intact These innovations include cameras and sensors that monitor freight to new railcar designs which keep hazardous cargo safe during transportation Certain of these technologies enable railroads to send emergency responders directly to the scene of an accident to minimize danger and minimize the damage to property and people One of the most wellknown innovations in rail is Positive Train Control PTC which will inhibit traintotrain collisions situations where trains are on tracks that shouldnt be as well as other accidents that are caused by human errors This system is a threepart system comprised of locomotives onboard that track the train wayside networks that communicate with the locomotive and an enormous backend server that collects and analyzes data Trains for passengers also adopt technology to improve security and safety For instance Amtrak is experimenting with the use of drones to aid security personnel in finding passengers and other items onboard trains in case in an emergency The company is also exploring different ways to use drones for instance using drones to inspect bridges and other infrastructure for example replacing the lights on railway towers which can be dangerous for workers to climb Smart track technology is another technology that can be utilized in railways that transport passengers It is able to detect objects or people on tracks and warn drivers if it is unsafe to continue These technologies are particularly effective in detecting unsafe 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 breakthrough in the railway industry It allows railways shippers and other stakeholders to track a traincar in realtime Crews and railcar operators can benefit from greater accountability and visibility which can help them to increase efficiency avoid unnecessary maintenance and delay in the delivery of freight