Five Killer Quora Answers On Federal Railroad
The Federal Railroad Administration and Technology
The Federal Railroad Administration creates and enforces safety regulations for rail It also provides rail funding and studies strategies for improving rail safety.
FRA inspectors on the ground make use of discretion to determine which cases merit the lengthy and precise civil penalty process. This discretion helps ensure that the violations most deserving of punishment are punished.
SMART-TD members and allies have made history in 2024 by pushing the FRA to ensure that two people are in the locomotive cab of freight trains. The fight continues.
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 formulates and enforces rail safety regulations as well as manages funding for rail and researches strategies for improving rail and technologies. It also creates, implements and maintains an action plan to maintain the current rail infrastructure and services. It also works to expand and improve the rail network across the nation. The department requires all rail employers to adhere to the strictest rules and regulations, empower their workers and provide them with the tools to succeed and stay secure. This includes taking part in the confidential close-call reporting system, setting up labor-management occupational safety and health committees with full participation from unions and anti-retaliation clauses and providing employees with the needed personal protective equipment.
FRA inspectors are on the front lines of enforcement of railway safety laws and regulations. They conduct regular inspections of equipment and conduct hundreds of investigations into complaints of non-compliance. Anyone who is in violation of the safety rules for rail can be penalized civilly. Safety inspectors at the agency have a wide discretion to determine if an act is within the legal definition of an act punishable by civil penalties. The Office of Chief Counsel’s safety division also scrutinizes all reports that regional offices submit to ensure they are legal prior to imposing penalties. This discretion is exercised both at the regional and field levels to ensure that civil penalties are only used when they are necessary.
A rail worker must be aware of rules and regulations that govern his actions, and not knowingly violate those standards to commit a criminal offense that is punishable by a civil penalty. The agency does not consider that a person who acts on a supervisor's directive has committed a willful offence. The agency defines "general railroad system" as the entire system that transports passengers and goods between metropolitan areas and cities. A plant railroad's trackage in the steel mill isn't considered to be part of the overall rail system of transportation even being physically connected to it.
Regulation
The Federal Railroad Administration is responsible to establish regulations for train operations, such as those relating to safety and federal employers’ liability Act the movement of dangerous substances. The agency oversees rail finance, which includes loans and grants for service and infrastructure improvement. The agency works with other DOT agencies as well as industry to devise strategies for improving the nation's rail infrastructure. This includes ensuring the current rail infrastructure and services and in addition to addressing the need for additional capacity strategically expanding the network, and coordinating national and regional systems planning and development.
While the majority of the agency's activities are focused on freight transportation, it also handles the transportation of passengers. The agency is working to connect people to the destinations they desire and offer more choices for travel. The agency is focused on improving the experience for passengers, enhancing the safety of the existing fleet, and making sure that the rail network continues to operate efficiently.
Railroads must comply with a variety of federal regulations, which include the ones pertaining to the size and composition of the train crews. This issue has become controversial in recent years, with some states enacting legislation that requires two-person crews on trains. The final rule codifies the minimum crew size requirements at an international level, and ensures that all railroads are subject to consistent safety standards.
This also requires every railroad that has a one-person train crew to inform FRA of the operation and submit an assessment of risk. This will allow FRA to better understand the specifics of each operation and compare them with those of a normal two-person crew operation. This rule also changes the standard for reviewing an application for special approval from determining if 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 comment on this rule, a large number of people voted for a requirement of two people on the crew. A letter written by 29 people expressed their concern that a single crew member might not be as quick to respond to train malfunctions or grade crossing incidents or assist emergency response personnel at a highway rail grade crossing. The commenters emphasized that human factors are responsible for more than half railroad accidents, and they think that a bigger crew would help ensure the safety of both the train and its cargo.
Technology
Freight and passenger rails employ various technologies to improve efficiency, enhance security, and increase safety. Rail industry jargon comprises a variety of unique terms and acronyms. Some of the most well-known include machine vision systems (also known as drones), instrumented rail-inspection systems, driverless train rolling data centers and unmanned aerial vehicle (also known as drones).
Technology isn't just replacing certain jobs -- it's empowering people to perform their jobs better and safer. 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 moving closer to reality.
The Federal Railroad Administration, as part of its ongoing efforts to promote secure, reliable, and affordable transportation in the United States is focusing on modernizing the rail infrastructure. This multi-billion-dollar project will see tunnels, bridges tracks, power systems, and tracks upgraded and stations rebuilt or replace. FRA's recently enacted bipartisan infrastructure law will dramatically increase the agency's rail improvement programs.
The Office of Research, Development and Technology of the agency is a key element in this initiative. The National Academies' recent review of the office found that it was successful in engaging, maintaining communication with and using inputs from a variety of stakeholders. But it still needs to focus more on how its research contributes to the department's primary strategic goal of ensuring the safe movement of people and goods by rail.
One area in which the agency could be able to increase its effectiveness is by identifying and assisting the advancement of automated train technology and systems. The Association of American Railroads (AAR) is the principal industry association for the freight rail industry, which is focused on research policy, standard-setting and policy and has established the Technical Advisory Group for Autonomous Train Operations in order to help develop standards within the industry.
FRA is likely to be interested in the development of an automated rail taxonomy, which is a standard that will 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 degree of risk to safety that the industry perceives associated when implementing a fully automated system and whether the industry is considering adding additional safeguards to mitigate that risk.
Innovation
Rail companies are adopting new technologies to enhance worker safety, boost efficiency in business processes and ensure that the freight they transport arrives at its destination intact. These innovations include cameras and sensors that monitor freight to innovative railcar designs that keep hazardous cargo safe during transportation. Some of these technologies even provide a way for railroads to send emergency responders to areas of accidents so that they can quickly mitigate the damage and minimize risk to property and lives.
Positive Train Control (PTC) is one of the most significant developments in rail. It can prevent train-to-train accidents, situations when trains are in a position they shouldn't, and other incidents caused by human errors. This system is made up of three components consisting of locomotives onboard that track the train; wayside networks which communicate with the locomotive; and a massive server that collects and analyses data.
Passenger railroads are also embracing technology to enhance security and safety. Amtrak for instance, is testing the use of drones to assist train security personnel locate passengers and other items in the event of an emergency. Amtrak is also investigating different ways to use drones, for instance, using drones to inspect bridges and other infrastructure, such as replacing the lighting on railway towers that could be hazardous for workers to climb.
Smart track technology is a different technology that can be used in passenger railroads. It can detect people or objects on tracks and warn drivers that it is unsafe to continue. These types of technologies can be particularly beneficial in detecting unsafe crossings and other issues during off-hours, when traffic levels are lower and there are fewer people around to witness an accident.
Another significant technological advance in the rail industry is telematics, which allows shippers, railroads and other stakeholders to view the status and condition of a traincar by real-time tracking. These capabilities give railcar owners and crews greater control and visibility. They can also aid in improving efficiency, avoid unnecessary maintenance and reduce delays in the delivery of freight to customers.