3 Reasons Your Federal Railroad Is Broken (And How To Repair It) > 자유게시판

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The Federal Railroad Administration and Technology

The Federal Railroad Administration is responsible for the safety of rail, regulations and enforcement, as well as funding for rail, and research on rail improvement strategies.

FRA field inspectors use discretion to decide which cases merit the precise and lengthy civil penalty process. This discretion helps to ensure that the most serious violations are punished.

SMART-TD and its allies created history by 2024 when they convinced the FRA that two people should be allowed in the cabs of freight locomotives. trains. The fight continues.

Safety

The Federal Employers’ Railroad Administration implements a variety of safety measures to protect the health of its employees and public. It formulates and enforces regulations for rail safety and oversees the funding for rail. It also researches strategies for improving rail and technology. It also formulates and implements a plan to ensure that current infrastructure, rail services and capacity and strategically expands and enhances the national rail network. The department requires all railroad employers to adhere to the strictest rules and regulations, and empower their employees and provide them with the tools to succeed and stay safe. This includes participating in a confidential close-call reporting system, setting up labor-management occupational safety and health committees, with full union participation and antiretaliation provisions and providing employees with the required personal protective equipment.

FRA inspectors are at the forefront of enforcement of the rail safety regulations and laws. They conduct routine inspections of equipment and conduct hundreds of investigations of complaints of non-compliance. Civil penalties may be imposed on those who violate rail safety laws. The agency's safety inspectors have a broad discretion on whether a particular violation meets the statutory definition of a criminal penalty-worthy act. In addition the Office of Chief Counsel's safety division examines all reports submitted from regional offices to determine their legality before determining penalties. This discretion is exercised at the field and regional levels to ensure that civil penalties are only applied when they are necessary.

To be convicted of a civil violation, a rail employee must be aware of the rules and regulations governing his or her actions. They also must be aware that they disregard these standards. However the agency does not consider anyone who acts under a directive from a supervisor to have committed a willful violation. The agency defines "general railroad system" as the entire network that transports passengers and goods between metropolitan areas and cities. The trackage of a plant railroad in the steelmill isn't considered to be part of the general rail transportation system, even though it is physically connected.

Regulation

The Federal Railroad Administration is responsible for establishing train regulations including those related to safety and the movement of dangerous substances. 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 the industry to develop strategies for improving the nation's railway system. This work includes maintaining current rail infrastructure and services as well as in addition to addressing the need for additional capacity, strategically expanding the network as well as coordinating regional and national systems planning and development.

Although the majority of the agency's work focuses on freight transportation, it also handles the transportation of passengers. The agency is working to offer more options for passenger travel and connect people to the places they'd like to go. The agency is focused on enhancing the passenger experience, increasing the safety of the existing fleet, and making sure that the rail network is operating efficiently.

Railroads are required to comply with a range of federal regulations, which include those that deal with the size and composition of train crews. In recent times, this issue has been a source of contention. Certain states have passed legislation requiring two-person crews on trains. This final rule outlines the minimum requirements for crew size at an international level, and ensures that all railroads are subject to the same safety standards.

This rule also requires each railroad operating a one-person train crew to notify FRA of the operation and submit an assessment of risk. This will allow FRA to compare the parameters of each operation with the standard two-person crew operation. This rule also alters the criteria for reviewing an approval request that is a special case to determine if an operation is "consistent" with railroad safety standards to determining whether the operation is as safe or less risky than a two-person crew operation.

During the public comment period for this rule, a large number of people expressed support for a two-person crew requirement. In a form letter, 29 people expressed their concerns that a single member of the crew is not in a position to respond with the speed required to respond to train malfunctions or incidents at grade crossings or assist emergency personnel on an elevated highway crossing. The commenters pointed out that human factors are responsible for more than half of fela claims railroad employees accidents and they believe that a larger crew would help ensure the safety of the train and its cargo.

Technology

Railroads that transport passengers and freight employ various technologies to improve efficiency, improve security, increase safety and more. Rail industry jargon includes various specific terms and acronyms. Some of the most prominent include machine vision systems (also called drones) and rail-inspection systems that are instrumented, driverless train, rolling data centers, and unmanned aerial vehicles (also called drones).

Technology doesn't just replace some jobs. It allows people to do their jobs better and with greater security. Railroads that transport passengers are using smartphones apps and contactless fare payment cards to improve ridership and improve the efficiency of the system. Other innovations like autonomous rail cars are getting closer to reality.

The Federal Railroad Administration, as part of its ongoing efforts to promote secure reliable, affordable, and cost-effective transportation in the United States, is focused on modernizing the rail infrastructure. This multi-billion-dollar effort will see bridges, tunnels tracks, power systems and tracks upgraded and stations renovated or replaced. FRA's recently passed bipartisan infrastructure law will significantly increase the agency's rail improvement programs.

The Office of Research, Development and Technology of the agency is a key element in this initiative. Recent National Academies review of the office revealed that it was successful in engaging with, maintaining communication and utilizing inputs of a wide range of stakeholders. However, it 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 railway.

The agency could increase its effectiveness by identifying and implementing automated train systems and technologies. The Association of American Railroads, the freight rail industry's primary industry organization that focuses on policy, research and standardization and has created a Technical Advisory Group on Autonomous Train Operations to help in developing industry standards for implementing the technology.

The FRA is interested in the development of a taxonomy for automated rail vehicles which defines clearly and consistently different levels of automation. This would apply to both rail transit and vehicles on the road. The agency will also need to know the degree of risk to safety that the industry sees with implementing fully automated operation and whether the industry is considering adding additional safeguards to mitigate that risk.

Innovation

Railroads are adopting technology to increase worker safety, make business processes more efficient and help ensure that the freight they move reaches its destination in good condition. Examples of this kind of innovation include the use of sensors and cameras to track freight, to the latest railcar designs that keep hazardous cargo safe during transport. Some of these technologies even offer railroads the ability to dispatch emergency personnel to the scene of an accident so they can quickly mitigate the damage and minimize risk to people and property.

Positive Train Control (PTC) is one of the most important innovations in rail. It can stop train-to-train accidents, instances where trains are on track they shouldn't be, and other accidents caused by human error. The system is a three-part process consisting of locomotives onboard that track the train and wayside networks that communicate with the locomotive, and a massive backend server that collects and analyzes data.

Passenger railroads also embrace technology to enhance security and safety. Amtrak is one example. It is testing the use of drones to help train security personnel locate passengers and items in an emergency. The company is also exploring ways to make use of drones. They could be used to inspect bridges and other infrastructures 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 railways that transport passengers. It is able to detect objects or people on tracks and fela Railroad warn drivers if it is unsafe to continue. These types of technologies are particularly useful in detecting crossings that are not authorized and other issues during times when traffic levels are lower and there are fewer people to witness an accident.

Telematics is another important technological advancement in the rail industry. It allows shippers, railways and other stakeholders, to monitor a traincar in real-time. Traincar crews and operators can benefit from greater accountability and transparency which can help them increase efficiency as well as avoid unnecessary maintenance and reduce delays when delivering freight.