The Federal Railroad Administration

The Federal Railroad Administration is among the 10 agencies of the DOT that are responsible for intermodal transportation. Its purpose is to ensure the safe and secure movement of goods and people.

FRA field inspectors examine the railroad track signals, train control and track systems as well operating practices. They also investigate complaints.

Definition

A federal railroad is a railway in the United States that is controlled by the government. Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is a part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, creates and enforces railway regulations, administers railroad funds, and conducts research to improve railway transportation. The FRA is one of the 10 agencies of the U.S. Department of Transportation which is responsible for intermodal transportation, and its chief executive officers are the Administrator and Deputy Administrator.

The agency is responsible for all freight and passenger transport that utilizes the nation's railway network. Additionally, the agency also supports the rehabilitation of Northeast Corridor rail passenger service and consolidates government support for rail transportation. The agency also regulates the ownership and operation of intermodal facilities, such as tracks, right of way, equipment, real estate and rolling stock. It also coordinates federal rail transportation programs.

The FRA's duties include establishing, through regulation, following an notification and comment the procedure by which any person may make a complaint to the Secretary of Homeland Security concerning railroad security problems or shortcomings. Additionally, the FRA sets up policies and conducts inspections in order to evaluate compliance with its rail safety regulations in six technical disciplines that include track signals and train control motive power and equipment operating practices, hazmat and highway-rail grade crossings.

The agency is responsible of making sure that the railroad transportation system is operated in a safe, economic, and environmentally friendly way. As a result, the agency requires railroads to ensure a safe working environment and provide appropriate training for their employees. The agency also sets and enforces railroad prices to ensure that the public is billed fairly for transportation services.

The Federal Railroad Administration also enacts and implements rules to prevent discrimination against railroad employees. They also shield whistleblowers from retaliation from railroad companies. The agency also has an procedure through which railroad employees can make complaints regarding the company's actions.

The agency's main mission is to ensure safe, reliable and efficient transportation of people and goods for a stronger America today and in the future. The FRA accomplishes this by controlling safety of railroads, coordinating railroad assistance programs and conducting research that supports better safety of railroads and national rail transportation policies as well as coordinating and assisting with the development of rail networks as well as helping the private sector manage railroads. In the past, railroads were large monopolies with little competition. In the end, railroads often misused their position in the marketplace. Congress established the Interstate Commerce Commission, as and other regulatory agencies, to limit railroad monopolies' abuses.

Purpose

Federal railroads are government institutions that make rules, regulate funds for rail and conduct research to improve the rail system in the United America. It manages the railway infrastructure of the United States and supervises freight and passenger railroads. It is one of ten agencies of the U.S. Department of Transportation. It is also tasked with maintaining and expanding current rail systems, fela accident attorney as well as ensuring the ability of the rail industry to meet the growing demand for freight and travel as well as providing leadership in national and regional system planning.

The main responsibility of the federal government in the railway industry is safety. The federal employers’ Railroad Administration (FRA) is in charge of this, and has several divisions responsible for overseeing the country's freight and passenger 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 across six technical disciplines, including track, signal, and train control equipment and motives operating procedures, hazmat and highway-rail grade crosses.

FRA has various departments, including the Office of Railroad Policy and Development. This department is responsible for programs aimed to improve passenger and freight railway transport, including the Northeast Corridor Future. This department is also in charge of the grants that railways and works with other agencies to plan for the country's rail needs.

Another essential duty of the FRA is the enforcement of certain federal laws pertaining to railroads and their employees. This includes stopping railroads from discriminating against workers and ensuring that injured railway workers are provided with transportation to the nearest hospital for initial aid treatment. The law also prohibits railroads from denying or delaying medical care to injured railway employees.

The FRA is the primary regulator for the freight and passenger rail industry, however other agencies manage the economic aspects of rail transportation. The Surface Transportation Board, for example, is in charge of setting rates and managing the economics of the sector. It is also the regulator for railroad mergers, line-sales construction and abandonment. After a period of public consultation, the agency is also responsible for establishing regulations that allow anyone to report any suspected rail safety violations.

Functions

Railroads carry people and goods to and from cities in developed nations, as and remote villages in countries that are less developed. They transport raw materials from manufacturing and processing facilities, and finished goods from these facilities to warehouses or stores. Rail is a vital form of transportation for a range of essential commodities, including oil, grains and coal. In 2020, freight rail transported over a quarter of the nation's total freight volume [PDFThe PDF file contains.

Federal railroads operate as a business just like other businesses, with departments for marketing and operations, sales, and an executive department. The department for marketing and sales works with potential and current customers to determine the kind of rail services they need and the amount they should cost. The operations department then develops the rail services that meet these needs at the lowest cost to earn money for the railroad. The executive department supervises the entire operation, making sure every department is running smoothly.

The government provides support to the railways in various ways, from grants to subsidized rates for government-owned transport. Congress also provides funds to support and build new tracks and stations. These subsidies are usually in addition to the revenue the railroads earn from tickets and freight contracts.

In the United States, the government has the railway for passengers, Amtrak. It is a quasi-public for-profit corporation, with the United States Government as a major stockholder.

The Federal Railroad Administration's (FRA) main task is to formulate and enforce safety regulations for railroads. This 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 in order to identify trends and areas that require more or better regulatory attention.

FRA also participates in other projects to improve the safety and economy of rail transportation in the United States. For example, the agency seeks to eliminate obstacles that could hinder railroads' implementation of positive train control systems (PTC). PTC is a safety system that uses sensors and on-board computers to stop the train when it gets too close to a vehicle or object.

History

In the 1820s and 1830s, the first railroads in America were built, primarily in New England and Mid-Atlantic. The railroads significantly accelerated the industrialization process in these regions, and also brought more food to the market. This helped the country to become more self-sufficient and less dependent upon imports from abroad, which resulted in a solid economic base.

In the 19th century's final years the railroad industry experienced an "Golden Age" in which new, more efficient raillines were constructed and passenger travel became popular. The government's efforts in expanding the railroad system was a major factor. For example the government offered homesteaders land grants to encourage them to move to the West, and the Central Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads joined forces to construct the first transcontinental railroad, which made it possible to travel from New York to San Francisco in six days.

However, in the first half of the 20th century, the demand for passenger railroad services declined and other transportation options like airplanes and cars gained popularity, while stifling regulations choked railroads competitiveness economically. The industry was plagued by a string of bankruptcies as well as service cuts and delayed maintenance. In addition, a misguided railroad regulations from the federal government contributed to the demise of the industry.

In the year 1970, the federal authorities began to ease the restrictions on railroads' regulatory requirements. Surface Transportation Board was created to oversee economic aspects such as railroad rates and mergers. The Federal Railroad Administration was also established to set standards for rail safety and is one of 10 agencies of the U.S. Department of Transportation which oversees passenger and freight transportation.

Since then, the railway infrastructure of the United States has seen a lot of investment. The Northeast Corridor has been rebuilt for instance, to allow for faster and more modern high-speed ground transportation (HSGT). The effort has also been made to improve the efficiency of freight rail systems. In the future, FRA hopes to continue its relationship with all transportation agencies to ensure reliable and safe railroads. FRA's mission is to ensure that the nation's transport system is running as efficiently as is possible.