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fela claims railroad employees and Technology The Federal Railroad Administration creates and enforces rail safety regulations It also provides rail funding and conducts research on strategies to improve rail infrastructure. FRA inspectors on the ground make use of discretion to determine which cases are worthy of the time-consuming and precise civil penalty process. This allows them to ensure that the most serious violations are punished. Members of SMART-TD and their allies made history in 2024 by pushing the FRA to allow two people in the locomotive cab of freight trains. The fight isn't over. Safety The Federal Railroad Administration has a range of safety measures in place to ensure the health and welfare of its employees and the general public. It is responsible for developing and enforcing regulations for rail safety. It also administers rail funding, and conducts research on rail improvement strategies and technology. It also creates the implementation and maintenance of plans for the maintenance of the current infrastructure and services for rail. It also develops and improves the national rail network. The department expects that all rail employers adhere to strict rules that empower their employees and provide them with tools to be safe and successful. This includes taking part in an anonymous close-call reporting system, establishing labor-management occupational safety and health committees, with full-union participation and antiretaliation provisions and giving employees the necessary personal protective gear. FRA inspectors are at the forefront of enforcement of railway safety laws and regulations. They conduct routine inspections of equipment and conduct a multitude of investigations of complaints of noncompliance. Civil penalties may be applied to those who break rail safety laws. Safety inspectors at the agency have a broad discretion to determine if an act is within the legal definition of an act that is punishable with civil penalties. In addition the Office of Chief Counsel's safety department examines all reports submitted by regional offices for legal sufficiency before assessing penalties. The exercise of this discretion both at the field and regional levels ensures that the time-consuming, costly civil penalty process is utilized only in cases that truly warrant the deterrent impact of a civil penalty. To be considered guilty of a civil offense an employee of a railroad must be aware of the rules and regulations that govern their actions. They also must be aware that they ignore these rules. 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 whole network that transports passengers and goods within and between cities and metropolitan areas. The trackage of a plant railroad within the steelmill isn't considered to be part of the overall rail transportation system, despite the fact that it is physically connected. Regulation The Federal Railroad Administration sets train regulations, including those pertaining to safety and the movement of hazardous materials. The agency also manages financing for rail including loans and grants for infrastructure and improvements to service. The agency collaborates with other DOT agencies and industry to devise strategies to improve the nation's railway system. This includes ensuring the current rail infrastructure and services, responding to the demands for new capacity, expanding the network strategically and coordinating the national and regional system development and planning. The agency is mostly responsible for freight transportation, but also supervises passenger transportation. The agency is working to connect people to the places they'd like to visit and offer more choices for travel. The agency's focus is on improving the experience of passengers and enhancing the safety of the current fleet, and making sure that the rail network continues operating efficiently. Railroads must abide by a variety of federal regulations, relating to the size of crews on trains. This issue has become an issue of contention in recent years, with a few states passing legislation to require two-person crews on trains. This final rule establishes federally the minimum crew size requirements, making sure that all railroads adhere to the same safety standards. This also requires every railroad that has a one-person train crew to notify FRA of the operation and submit an assessment of risk. This will allow FRA to better identify the specific parameters of each operation and compare them with those of a normal two-person crew operation. Additionally, this rule changes the standard of review for the special approval petition from determining whether an operation is “consistent with railroad safety” to determining whether the operation is safe or safer than an operation with two crew members. During the public comment period on this rule, many people expressed support for the requirement of a two-person crew. A form letter sent 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 responders at a highway-rail grade crossing. Commenters emphasized that human factors are the reason for a majority of railroad accidents. They believe that a bigger crew would ensure the safety of the train as well as its cargo. Technology Railroads for passenger and freight use a wide array of technologies to improve efficiency, add security, increase safety and much more. The rail industry lingo includes many unique terms and acronyms, but some of the more notable developments include machines-vision systems, instrumented rail inspection systems, driverless trains rolling data centers, and drones that are not piloted (commonly called drones). Technology isn't just about replacing certain jobs. It helps people perform their jobs more effectively and with greater security. Passenger railroads are using smartphone apps and contactless fare payment cards in order to boost ridership and make the system more efficient. Other innovations, like autonomous rail vehicles, are moving closer to becoming reality. As part of its ongoing effort to improve safe, reliable, and affordable transportation for the entire nation In its ongoing effort to ensure safe, reliable and affordable transportation for the nation, the Federal Railroad Administration is focused on modernizing its rail infrastructure. This is a multi-billion-dollar initiative that will see bridges and tunnels restored, tracks and power systems upgraded, and stations reconstructed or upgraded. FRA's recently passed bipartisan infrastructure law will substantially expand the agency's rail improvements programs. The Office of Research, Development and Technology of the agency is a crucial part of this effort. The most recent National Academies review of the office revealed that it was successful in engaging in a continuous dialogue and utilizing the inputs from a variety of stakeholders. It is still required to focus on how its research contributes to the department's primary objective of ensuring safe movement of people and goods via rail. The agency could improve its efficiency by identifying and implementing automated train systems and technology. The Association of American Railroads (AAR) is the principal industry association for the freight rail industry that is focused on research policy, standard-setting and policy and has established a Technical Advisory Group for Autonomous Train Operations to help develop standards within the industry. The FRA is interested in the development of a taxonomy to describe automated rail vehicles, a system that defines clearly and consistently different levels of automation. This would apply to rail transit as well as on-road vehicles. The agency will want to know the level of risk that the industry perceives with fully automated operation, and if the industry is considering additional measures to mitigate that risk. Innovation Railroads are embracing technology to increase worker safety, make business processes more efficient and help ensure that the freight they move reaches its destination safely. These innovations range from sensors and cameras that monitor freight, to new railcar designs that help keep dangerous cargo safe during transport. Certain of these technologies allow railroads send emergency responders directly to the scene of an accident to minimize the risk and damage to people and property. Positive Train Control (PTC) is among the most significant innovations in rail. It can keep train-to-train accidents out of the way, as well as situations when trains are in a position they shouldn't, and other incidents caused by human error. This system is made up of three parts of onboard locomotive systems that track the train; wayside networks that communicate with the locomotive and a massive server that gathers and analyzes data. Trains for passengers also adopt technology to enhance safety and security. For instance, Amtrak is experimenting with the use of drones to assist passenger security personnel in locating passengers and items on board trains in the event in an emergency. The company is also examining ways to use drones. They could be used to check bridges and other infrastructure or to replace the lights on railway towers, which are dangerous for workers to climb. Other technologies that can be utilized for passenger railroads include smart track technology, which can detect the presence of people or objects on the tracks and send an alert to drivers when it's unsafe for them to proceed. These types of technology are especially beneficial in detecting unsafe crossings and other problems during times when traffic levels are lower and fewer people are around to witness an accident. Another important technological advancement in the railway industry is telematics which allows railroads, shippers and other stakeholders to see the status and condition of a traincar via real-time tracking. Railcar operators and crews will benefit from increased accountability and transparency which will allow them increase efficiency as well as avoid unnecessary maintenance and delay in the delivery of freight.