What Freud Can Teach Us About Federal Railroad
The Federal Railroad Administration and Technology
The Federal Railroad Administration is responsible for rail safety regulations and enforcement, as well as funding for rail, and research on rail improvement strategies.
FRA inspectors on the ground use discretion to decide which cases are worthy of the lengthy and precise civil penalty process. This allows them to ensure that the most serious violations are punished.
Allies and members of SMART-TD have made history in 2024 by pushing the FRA to allow two people in the cabs of locomotives of freight trains. The fight is not over.
Safety
The Federal Railroad Administration has a range of safety measures in place to safeguard the health and welfare of its employees and the general public. It creates and enforces regulations for rail safety, administers rail funding and researches strategies for improving rail and new technologies. It also develops and implements a plan to ensure that current infrastructure, rail services and capacity, and strategically develops and enhances the national rail network. The department expects all rail employers to adhere to strict rules and regulations, empower their workers and provide them with the tools needed to be successful and safe. This includes taking part in the confidential close-call reporting system, creating labor-management occupational safety and health committees, with full-union participation and antiretaliation provisions and providing employees with the required personal protective gear.
Inspectors of the FRA are at the forefront of enforcing safety on rail laws and regulations. They conduct routine inspections of equipment and conduct a myriad of investigations of complaints of noncompliance. Anyone who is in violation of the rail safety laws could be punished with civil penalties. The agency's safety inspectors have a broad discretion on whether an individual violation is in line with the statutory definition of a criminal penalty-worthy act. Additionally the Office of Chief Counsel's security division reviews all reports that are received by regional offices to determine legality before determining penalties. This discretion is exercised at both the regional and field levels to ensure that civil penalties are only applied in situations that warrant them.
fela lawyer must be aware of rules and regulations that govern his or her actions and knowingly disregard those guidelines to commit a civil penalty-worthy offense. The agency does not consider an individual who acted upon a directive from a supervisor is guilty of committing a willful crime. The agency defines "general railroad system" as the entire system that transports passengers and goods between metropolitan areas and cities. The trackage of a plant railroad at the steel mill isn't considered to be part of the overall transportation system by rail, even although it is physically connected to it.
Regulation
The Federal Railroad Administration sets train regulations, including those related to safety and movement of hazardous materials. The agency is responsible for managing rail finance, which includes grants and loan for service and infrastructure improvement. The agency works with other DOT agencies and industry to devise strategies for improving the rail system of the United States. This includes maintaining the current rail infrastructure and services, responding to the demands for additional capacity, expanding the network strategically and coordinating regional and national system planning and development.
While most of the agency's work is focused on freight transportation, it also oversees passenger transportation. The agency is working to connect people to places they'd like to visit and offer more choices for travel. The agency is focused on enhancing the passenger experience and increasing the safety of the existing fleet, and making sure that the rail network is operating efficiently.
Railroads must abide by a variety of federal regulations, relating to the size of the crews on trains. In recent years, this issue has become controversial. Certain states have passed legislation that requires two-person crews in trains. This final rule defines federally the minimum crew size requirements, ensuring that all railroads adhere to the same safety standards.
This law also requires that each railroad operating with a crew of one notify FRA and submit an analysis 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. In addition, this rule changes the standard of review for an approval petition that is based on determining whether the operation is "consistent with railroad safety" to determining if approving the operation is safe or safer than an operation with two crew members.
During the time of public comment for this rule, a number of people expressed their support for a requirement of two people on the crew. In a letter to the editor, 29 people expressed their concerns that a single crewmember would not be capable of responding as quickly to train malfunctions or incidents at grade crossings, or assist emergency response personnel on the highway-rail level crossing. Commenters emphasized that human factors are responsible for more than half of all railroad accidents. They believe that a larger team would ensure the security of the train as well as its cargo.
Technology
Freight and passenger railroads employ various technologies to increase efficiency, add safety, boost security and more. The rail industry lingo includes a variety of distinct terms and acronyms however, some of the most notable innovations include machine vision systems, instrumented rail inspection systems, driverless trains rolling data centers, and unmanned aerial vehicles (commonly known as drones).
Technology isn't only able to replace certain jobs. It allows people to perform their jobs better and more safely. Railroads that transport passengers use smartphones and contactless fare cards to increase ridership and increase the efficiency of their system. Other developments, like autonomous rail vehicles, are inching closer to reality.
As part of its ongoing efforts to improve safe, reliable, and affordable transportation for the nation The Federal Railroad Administration is focused on modernizing its rail infrastructure. This multi-billion dollar project will see tunnels, bridges tracks, power systems and tracks updated, and stations being rebuilt or replaced. The FRA's rail improvements program will be substantially expanded by the recently passed bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
The Office of Research, Development and Technology of the agency is a key part of this effort. Recent National Academies review of the office found that it excelled in engaging in a continuous dialogue and utilizing the inputs of a wide range of stakeholders. But it still needs to focus more on how its research aids in the department's main objective of ensuring the safe movement of goods and people by railway.
The agency could improve its effectiveness by identifying and supporting automated train systems and technologies. The Association of American Railroads, the primary freight rail business organization that is focused on research, policy and standard-setting the Technical Advisory Group on Autonomous Train Operations to help develop industry standards for implementing the technology.
The FRA is interested in the development of a taxonomy to describe automated rail vehicles which defines clearly and consistently different levels of automation. This would apply to rail transit as well as on-road vehicles. The agency will also be looking to know the degree of risk to safety that the industry sees when implementing a fully automated system and whether or not the industry is considering adding additional safeguards to mitigate that risk.
Innovation
Railroads are adopting technology to improve worker safety, make business processes more efficient and ensure that the freight they move reaches its destination intact. Examples of this kind of technological advancement range from the use of cameras and sensors to track freight, to the latest railcar designs that keep hazardous cargo safe during transport. Some of these technologies provide a way for railroads to dispatch emergency personnel to locations of accidents so they can swiftly reduce damage and minimize risk to property and lives.
One of the most prominent innovations in rail is Positive Train Control (PTC) that will stop collisions between trains and train, situations where trains are on tracks where they shouldn't be and other accidents resulting from human errors. The system is a three-part system comprised of onboard locomotive systems that track the train and wayside networks that connect with the locomotive and a massive backend server that analyzes and collects data.
Trains for passengers also adopt technology to improve security and safety. For instance, Amtrak is experimenting with the use of drones to aid security personnel in locating passengers and other items onboard trains in the event in the event of an emergency. The company is also examining ways to make use of drones. They could be used to examine bridges and other infrastructure or to replace the lighting on railway towers that are dangerous for workers to climb.
Smart track technology is another technology that can be used in railways for passengers. It can detect people or objects on tracks and notify motorists that it is not safe to continue. These technologies are particularly useful for detecting unauthorized crossings or other problems in the evenings when traffic is less and there are less witnesses to an accident.
Telematics is a significant technological advancement in the railway industry. It lets railways, shippers, and other stakeholders, to track a traincar in real-time. Crews and railcar operators can benefit from greater accountability and visibility which will allow them to improve efficiency and avoid unnecessary maintenance. It will also help avoid delays when delivering freight.