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The Federal Railroad Administration and Technology The Federal Railroad Administration is responsible for rail safety regulations and enforcement, rail funding and research on rail improvement strategies. FRA inspectors on the ground use discretion to determine which cases merit the lengthy and precise civil penalty procedure. This discretion helps ensure that the most serious violations of punishment are punished. SMART-TD and its allies made history by 2024 when they convinced the FRA that two people should be allowed to sit in the cabs of freight locomotives. trains. The fight continues. Safety The Federal Railroad Administration has a variety of safety measures in place to protect the safety and health of employees as well as the general public. It is responsible for establishing and enforcing rail safety regulations. It also oversees the funding for rail and studies rail improvement strategies and technology. It also develops and implements a strategy to ensure the current infrastructure, services, and capacity, and strategically develops and enhances the national rail network. The department demands that all rail companies adhere to strict guidelines that empower their employees and provide them with the tools to be safe and successful. This includes an anonymous close-call reporting system, establishing labor-management occupational safety and health committees, with full union participation and antiretaliation provisions and providing employees with the required personal protective gear. FRA inspectors are on the front lines of enforcement of the rail safety laws and regulations. They conduct routine inspections of equipment and conduct a myriad of investigations into complaints of non-compliance. Civil penalties may be applied to those who break railroad safety laws. Safety inspectors at the agency have a wide discretion to determine if violations fall within the definition provided by law of an act punishable with civil penalties. Additionally the Office of Chief Counsel's security division examines all reports submitted by regional offices to determine legality prior to assessing penalties. fela law firm of this discretion at the regional and field levels helps ensure that the time-consuming, costly civil penalty process is utilized only in cases that are truly deserving of the effect of a civil fine. A rail employee must be aware of the rules and regulations that govern his or her actions, and not knowingly violate those standards to commit a civil penalty-worthy offense. The agency does not consider that an individual who acts upon a directive from a supervisor has committed a willful offence. The agency defines the “general railroad system of transportation” as the whole network over which goods and passengers travel within metropolitan areas, or between them. The trackage of a plant railroad within a steelmill is not considered to be part of the general rail transportation system, despite the fact that it is physically connected. Regulation The Federal Railroad Administration sets train regulations, including those related to safety and the movement of hazardous materials. The agency also oversees rail financing which includes loans and grants for improvements to infrastructure and service. The agency works with other DOT agencies and industry to devise strategies to improve the nation's rail system. This includes maintaining current rail infrastructure and services and making sure that there is enough capacity, strategically expanding the network, and coordinating national and regional systems planning and development. The agency is mostly responsible for freight transportation, but also manages passenger transportation. The agency aims to connect people with the places they want and provide more options for travel. The agency is focused on improving the passenger experience and enhancing the safety of the existing fleet, and ensuring the railway system continues to function efficiently. Railroads are required to abide with a number of federal regulations, including those relating to the size and composition of crews on trains. In recent times the issue has become controversial. Some states have passed legislation that requires two-person teams on trains. This final rule establishes federally the minimum size of crew requirements, ensuring that all railroads follow the same safety standards. This rule also requires that each railroad that has a one-person crew notify FRA and submit a risk analysis. This will enable FRA to assess the requirements of each operation with those of a two-person standard crew operation. This rule also changes the criteria for reviewing an application for special approval from determining whether an operation is “consistent” with railroad safety to determining if the operation is as safe or less risky than a two-person crew operation. During the time of public comment for this rule, a lot of people voiced their support for a requirement for two persons on the crew. In a letter to the editor 29 people expressed their concern that a single crewmember will not be able to respond as quickly to train malfunctions or incidents at grade crossings, or assist emergency personnel on an elevated highway crossing. Commenters pointed out that human factors 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 Trains for passenger and freight use various technologies to improve efficiency, improve security, and increase safety. Rail industry jargon covers various distinct terms and acronyms. Some of the most well-known include machine vision systems (also called drones) and rail-inspection systems that are instrumented driverless trains, rolling data centers, and unmanned aerial vehicle (also known as drones). Technology isn't just replacing certain jobs — it's empowering individuals to perform their work more effectively and safely. Passenger railroads use smartphones apps and contactless fare cards in order to increase ridership and improve the efficiency of their system. Other innovations, such as autonomous rail vehicles, are inching closer to reality. The Federal Railroad Administration, as part of its ongoing efforts to promote secure reliable, affordable, and cost-effective transportation in America is focusing on modernizing the railway infrastructure. This is a multi-billion dollars initiative that will see tunnels and bridges rebuilt, tracks and power systems upgraded, and stations reconstructed or replaced. The FRA's rail improvement program will be significantly expanded by the recently passed bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The agency's Office of Research, Development and Technology is a key piece in this initiative. Recent National Academies review of the office found it excelled at engaging in a continuous dialogue and utilizing the inputs from a variety of stakeholders. It still needs to consider how its research contributes towards the department's primary goal of ensuring safe movement of goods and people by railways. The agency could increase its efficiency by identifying and supporting automated train systems and technology. The Association of American Railroads, the primary freight rail industry organization that focuses on research, policy and standard-setting and has created a Technical Advisory Group on Autonomous Train Operations to help develop industry standards for implementing the technology. FRA is interested in the group's creation of an automated rail taxonomy, which is a standardization system that can clearly and consistently define different levels of automation that would be applicable to both on-road and rail transit vehicles. The agency will also need to know the degree of risk to safety that the industry believes is associated with the introduction of fully automated operation and whether or not the industry is contemplating additional security measures to reduce the risk. Innovation Railroads are embracing technology to increase worker safety and improve business processes. efficient and help ensure that the freight they move reaches its destination safely. Examples of this kind of technological advancement range from the use of cameras and sensors to keep track of freight, and to new railcar designs that keep dangerous cargo safe during transit. Some of these technologies allow railroads to send emergency responders directly to sites of accidents to minimize danger and minimize the damage to property and people. One of the most renowned innovations in rail is Positive Train Control (PTC) that will stop collisions between trains and trains, situations in which trains are on tracks they shouldn't be and other accidents that are caused by human error. This system consists of three components: onboard locomotive systems which track the train; wayside networks which communicate with the locomotive; and a massive server that analyzes and collects data. Passenger railroads are also embracing technology to bolster security and safety. For instance, Amtrak is experimenting with drones to aid security personnel in finding passengers and other items onboard trains in the event of an emergency. Amtrak is also looking into ways to make use of drones. They could be used to check bridges and other infrastructure or to replace the lighting on railway towers that are hazardous for workers to climb. Smart track technology is a different technology that can be utilized in passenger railroads. It is able to detect objects or people on tracks and alert drivers that it is unsafe to continue. These technologies are particularly effective in detecting unsafe crossings or other problems in the evenings when the traffic is lower and there are fewer witnesses to an accident. Telematics is another important technological breakthrough in the railway industry. It allows shippers, railways and other parties to follow a traincar's progress in real-time. Railcar operators and crews can benefit from increased accountability and visibility which can help them to increase efficiency, avoid unnecessary maintenance and reduce delays when delivering freight.