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fela law firm and Technology The Federal Railroad Administration is responsible for safety regulations for rail and enforcement, as well as funding for rail, and research on rail improvement strategies. FRA inspectors on the ground make use of discretion to determine which cases merit the lengthy and precise civil penalty process. This allows them to ensure that the most serious violations are penalized. SMART-TD members and allies made history in 2024 when they began pushing the FRA to ensure that two people are in the cabs of locomotives of freight trains. The fight isn't over. Safety The Federal Railroad Administration implements a variety of safety measures to protect the health of employees and public. It formulates and enforces safety regulations for rail and oversees the funding for rail. It also researches rail improvement strategies and technologies. It also creates the implementation and maintenance of a plan for maintaining current rail services and infrastructure. It also expands and improves strategically the rail network across the nation. The department expects all rail employers to adhere to strict rules and regulations, empower their employees and provide them with the tools to be successful and secure. This includes participation in the confidential close call reporting system, setting up occupational health and safety committees with full union participation and anti-retaliation safeguards, and providing employees with needed personal safety equipment. FRA inspectors are on the front lines of enforcement of railway safety laws and regulations. They conduct routine inspections of equipment and conduct a multitude of investigations of complaints of non-compliance. Those who violate the safety rules for rail can be subject to civil penalties. Safety inspectors at the agency have a wide discretion to determine whether an act is within the legal definition of an act that is punishable with civil penalties. The Office of Chief Counsel's safety division also reviews the reports that regional offices submit to ensure they are legal prior to imposing penalties. The exercise of this discretion at the regional and field levels helps ensure that the lengthy, time-consuming civil penalty process is applied only in situations that truly warrant the deterrent impact of a civil penalty. To be guilty of a civil violation the employee of a rail company must know the rules and regulations that govern his or her actions. They also must be aware that they not adhere to these rules. The agency does not believe an individual who acted upon a directive from a supervisor is guilty of committing a willful crime. The agency defines the “general railroad system of transportation” as the entire system that passengers and goods travel within cities and metropolitan areas, or between them. The trackage of a plant railroad within the steel mill is not considered to be part of the general rail transportation system, despite the fact that it's 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 infrastructure and improvements to service. The agency works with other DOT agencies and industry to develop strategies for improving the country's railroad system. This includes maintaining current rail services and infrastructure as well as addressing the need for new capacity and strategically expanding the network and coordinating regional and national systems planning and development. The agency is mostly responsible for freight transportation but also supervises passenger transportation. The agency is working to offer more options for passengers and connect people to the places they would like to go. The agency's primary focus is on improving the experience of passengers, enhancing 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 crews on trains. In recent years this issue has been a source of contention. Some states have passed legislation that requires two-person crews on trains. This final rule outlines the minimum crew size requirements at the federal level, making sure that all railroads are subject to the same safety standards. This rule also requires each railroad that operates a one-person train crew to inform FRA of the operation and submit a risk assessment. This will allow FRA to identify the specifics of each operation and compare them with the parameters of a standard two-person crew operation. This rule also alters the standard for reviewing an approval request that is a special case from determining whether an operation is “consistent” with railroad safety, to determining if the operation is as secure or less risky than a two-person crew operation. During the public comment period on this rule, many people backed the requirement for a two-person crew. In a form letter 29 people expressed their concern that a single crewmember will not be capable of responding as quickly to incidents or train malfunctions at grade crossings, or assist emergency personnel on the highway-rail level crossing. The commenters pointed out that human factors account for more than half of railroad accidents and believe that a larger team could help ensure the safety of the train and its cargo. Technology Railroads for passenger and freight use various technologies to increase efficiency, improve security, increase safety and more. Rail industry jargon covers various distinct terms and acronyms. Some of the most well-known include machine vision systems (also called drones), instrumented rail-inspection systems, driverless train rolling data centers and unmanned aerial vehicle (also called drones). Technology isn't just replacing certain jobs, it's also empowering people to perform their jobs more efficiently and with greater security. Passenger railroads are using smartphones and contactless fare payment cards to improve ridership and make the system more efficient. Other innovations, like autonomous rail vehicles, are moving closer to becoming a reality. The Federal Railroad Administration, as part of its ongoing efforts to improve safe affordable, reliable, and secure transportation in the United States is focusing on modernizing the rail infrastructure. This is a multi-billion dollars project that will see bridges and tunnels restored tracks, power systems and tracks upgraded and stations rebuilt or replaced. FRA's recently enacted bipartisan infrastructure law will dramatically expand the agency's rail improvements programs. The Office of Research, Development and Technology of the agency is a key element in this effort. The National Academies' recent review of the office concluded that it excelled at engaging, maintaining communications using inputs from a broad range of stakeholders. It must continue to consider how its research contributes towards the department's main goal of ensuring the safety of goods and people by railways. The agency could enhance its efficiency by identifying and supporting automated train systems and technologies. The Association of American Railroads, the freight rail industry's primary association that focuses on policy, research and standard setting and has created a Technical Advisory Group on Autonomous Train Operations to help develop industry standards to implement the technology. FRA is likely to be interested in the creation of an automated rail taxonomy. It is a system of standards to clearly and consistently define different levels of automation that could be applicable to both on-road and rail transit vehicles. The agency would like to know the level of risk that the industry sees in fully automated operation, and whether the industry is contemplating any additional measures to mitigate the risk. Innovation Railroads are embracing technology to increase worker safety and improve business processes. efficient and help ensure that the cargo it transports arrives at its destination intact. Examples of this kind of technological advancement vary from the use sensors and cameras to monitor freight, to new railcar designs that help keep hazardous cargo secure during transit. Some of these technologies enable railroads to dispatch emergency responders directly to the scene of an accident to reduce the risk and minimize damages to property and individuals. Positive Train Control (PTC) is one of the most important innovations in rail. It is designed to keep train-to-train accidents out of the way, as well as situations where trains are on track they shouldn't and other accidents caused by human errors. The system is comprised of three parts of onboard locomotive systems that track the train; wayside networks which communicate with the locomotive; and a massive server that gathers and analyzes data. Railroads that transport passengers are also embracing technology to improve security and safety. Amtrak for instance, is experimenting with drones in order to help train security personnel locate passengers and items in the event of an emergency. The company is also exploring other 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. Other technologies that can be utilized for passenger railroads include smart track technology, which is able to detect the presence of objects or people on the tracks and send a warning to drivers if it's unsafe to travel. These kinds of technology are especially useful in detecting crossings that are not authorized and other problems during off-hours, when traffic volumes are lowest and there are fewer people to witness an accident. Another significant technological advance in the rail industry is telematics, which enables railroads, shippers and other stakeholders to see a traincar's status and condition by real-time tracking. Traincar crews and operators can benefit from greater accountability and visibility which can help them to improve efficiency and avoid unnecessary maintenance. It will also help reduce delays when delivering freight.