The Federal Railroad Administration
The Federal Railroad Administration is among the 10 agencies of the DOT that are accountable for intermodal transportation. Its purpose is to ensure the safe and secure movement of people and goods.
FRA field inspectors routinely inspect railroad tracks, signals and train control systems as and operating practices. They also investigate complaints.
Definition
Federal railroads are rail carriers in the United States controlled by the federal government. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) creates and enforces railway safety regulations, administers railroad funding, and researches ways to improve the efficiency of rail transportation systems. The FRA is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation's intermodal transportation division and its chief executives are the Administrator and the Deputy Administrator.
The agency oversees all freight and passenger transportation that utilizes the nation's railway network. In addition the agency supports the rehabilitation of Northeast Corridor rail passenger service and consolidates support from the federal government for rail transportation activities. The agency also regulates the ownership and operation of intermodal facilities like tracks, rights of way equipment, real estate and rolling stock. It also coordinates federal rail transportation programs.
The FRA's responsibilities are to establish through regulation, after notice and comments are allowed an avenue through which anyone can submit a make a complaint to the Secretary of Homeland Security concerning railroad security issues or inconsistencies. The agency also develops policies, conducts inspections, and evaluates the compliance with its railroad laws in six technical disciplines, which include track signals, track and train control; motive power and equipment; operating practices as well as hazmat and highway-rail grade intersections.
The agency has the responsibility of ensuring that the railroad transportation system is operating in a secure, efficient, and environmentally friendly manner. The agency also requires that railroads to provide a safe working environment and provide adequate training for their employees. In addition, the agency sets and regulates railroad rates to ensure that the public is receiving fair prices for their transportation services.
The Federal Railroad Administration also enacts and enforces rules to stop discrimination towards railroad employees. It also protects whistleblowers against retaliation from railroad carriers. The agency also has a procedure for railroad employees to make complaints about the conduct of the company.
The main goal of the agency is to ensure the secure, reliable, and efficient movement of goods and people for a strong America both now and in the future. The FRA achieves this by overseeing the regulation of rail safety, managing railroad assistance programmes and conducting research in support of improved railroad safety and national transportation policy and coordinating the development of rail networks and assisting the private sector manage railroads. In the past, railroads were large monopolies with little competition. The railroad industry was able to abuse its dominance in the market as a result. This is why Congress established the Interstate Commerce Commission and other regulatory agencies to limit the abuses of railroad monopolies.
Purpose
Federal railroads are government agencies that establish rules, regulate rail funds and conduct research to improve rail transportation in the United States. It is responsible for the railroad infrastructure of the United States and manages passenger and freight railroads. It is one of ten agencies that are part of the U.S. Department of Transportation. It is also responsible for maintaining and expanding current railroad infrastructure.
The main responsibility of the federal government in the railway industry is safety. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is in charge of this, and has several divisions responsible for overseeing the country's passenger and freight rail operations. The Office of Railroad Safety is the largest of them with a staff of around 350. It is responsible for conducting safety inspections in six different technical disciplines, including track signalling, train control, motive and equipment operating procedures, hazmat, and highway-rail grade crosses.
FRA has several departments, including the Office of Railroad Policy and Development. This department oversees programs aimed at enhancing passenger and freight rail transportation, like the Northeast Corridor Future. This department is responsible for granting grants for railways and collaborates with other agencies to determine the nation's rail requirements.
The FRA also has a duty to enforce federal laws that pertain to railroads and workers. This includes preventing railroads from discriminating against employees and ensuring that all railway employees injured are transported to the nearest hospital for first aid treatment. It also prohibits railroads from denying or delaying medical care to injured railway workers.
The FRA is the main regulator of the freight and passenger rail industry, but other agencies manage the economic aspects of rail transportation. The Surface Transportation Board, for instance is responsible for setting rates and managing the economics of the sector. It is also the regulator for railroad mergers, line-sales, construction, and abandonment. After the public consultation period, the agency is also responsible for establishing rules that will allow anyone to report any alleged rail safety violations.
Functions
Rails transport goods and people from and to cities in the developed world as also to villages in countries that are less developed. They transport raw materials from processing and manufacturing facilities, and final goods from these facilities to stores or warehouses. Railroads are a vital mode of transportation for many vital commodities, including coal, oil, and grains. In 2020, freight railroads transported more than a quarter of the freight in the United States [PDF].
Federal railroads operate like any other business with departments for marketing, operations, sales and an executive department. The marketing and sales department works with current and potential customers to determine the type of rail services they need and how much they will cost. The operations department then develops rail services that meet these needs at the cheapest cost to earn money for railroad. The executive department supervises the entire operation and ensures that each department is operating efficiently.
The government provides support to railways through a variety of methods that include grants and subsidized rates for government traffic. Congress also provides funds to help build new track and stations. These subsidies are usually in addition to the earnings railroads receive from ticket sales and freight contracts.
Amtrak is owned by the United States government. It is a quasi-public for-profit corporation with a large stockholder, which is the United States government.
A key function of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is to develop and enforce safety regulations for railroads. fela claims railroad employees involves regulating the mechanical condition of trains as well as the safety and health of railroad employees. FRA also gathers and analyzes data on rail safety to identify trends and areas that need improved or increased regulation.
FRA also works on other projects that help improve the economy and safety of rail transportation in the United States. For instance, FRA, aims to reduce the obstacles that can hinder railroads in the implementation of positive train control (PTC). PTC is a safety system that uses sensors and computers to stop a train at the moment it is too close to another vehicle or object.
History
In the 1820s-1830s, the first railroads in America were built, mostly in New England and Mid-Atlantic. The railroads accelerated industrialization and brought more food to the market in these regions. This helped the country to become more self-sufficient and less dependent on imports from abroad, which in turn contributed to a stronger economic base.
In the late nineteenth century the railroad industry went through an "Golden Age," during which many new trains that were more efficient were built and passenger travel on train became popular. This was in large part due to the government's efforts to expand the railroad system. For instance, the government gave land grants to homesteaders to encourage them to move to the West and the Central Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads worked together to complete the first transcontinental railroad which made it possible to travel from New York to San Francisco in six days.
In the first half century, however, the demand for passenger rail services decreased, and other modes of transportation like planes and automobiles became more popular. Meanwhile, stifling regulation stifled railroads' economic ability to compete. A string of bankruptcies, service cuts, and deferred maintenance was the next step. In addition, a misguided federal railway regulations caused the decline of the industry.
Around the year 1970, the federal government began to ease the regulatory shackles on railroads. Surface Transportation Board was created to oversee economic matters like railroad rates and mergers. The Federal Railroad Administration was also established, which is responsible for establishing rail safety regulations and is one of 10 agencies within the U.S. Department of Transportation that oversees freight and passenger transportation.
Since then, the railway infrastructure of the United States has seen a significant amount of investment. The Northeast Corridor has been rebuilt for instance, to allow for faster and more modern high-speed ground transportation (HSGT). There have also been efforts to develop more efficient freight rail systems. In the future, FRA hopes to continue its partnership with all transportation agencies to ensure reliable and safe railroads. The role of FRA is to ensure that the nation's transportation system operates as efficiently as is possible.