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The Federal Railroad AdministrationThe Federal Railroad Administration is among the 10 agencies of the DOT that are responsible for intermodal transportation. Its goal is to facilitate the secure and efficient transportation of people and goods.FRA field inspectors regularly check railroad track, signal and train control systems, as well as operating practices. They also investigate complaints.DefinitionFederal railroads are rail carriers in the United States controlled by the federal government. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) establishes and enforces safety regulations, administers funds for railroads, and investigates ways to improve rail transportation systems. The FRA is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s intermodal transportation division and its chief officers are the Administrator and the Deputy Administrator.The agency supervises all passenger and freight transportation that uses the nation’s railway network. In addition, the agency also supports the rehabilitation of Northeast Corridor rail passenger service and consolidates the government’s support for rail transportation. 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.FRA’s responsibilities also include establishing, through regulation and after an opportunity to comment an procedure that anyone can inform the Secretary of Homeland Security any railroad security issues or deficiencies. The agency also establishes policies, conducts inspections and assesses compliance with its railroad laws in six technical disciplines, which include track signals, track and train control as well as motive power and equipment; operating practices as well as hazmat and highway-rail grade intersections.The agency is responsible of ensuring that the railway transportation system is operated in a secure, efficient, and environmentally friendly way. The agency also requires railroads to maintain a safe workplace and provide adequate training for their employees. The agency also determines and enforces the cost of railroad services to ensure that the public is billed fairly for transportation services.In addition the Federal Railroad Administration enacts and enforces regulations to prevent discrimination against railroad workers, as well as protects whistleblowers from being retaliated against by railroad companies. The agency also has procedures for railroad employees can file complaints against the company’s actions.The main goal of the FRA is to ensure the safe, reliable and efficient transportation of people and goods for a strong America now and in future. The FRA accomplishes this through overseeing the safety of railroads, regulating programs for assistance to railroads conducting research to help improved railroad safety and national rail transportation policy and coordination, as well as supporting the development of rail networks, and helping the private sector manage railroads. In the past, railroads were essentially monopolies that had no 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 committed by railroad monopolies.PurposeThe federal railroad is a federal agency that sets rules, oversees funds for rail and researches ways to improve the nation’s rail transport system. It manages the railway infrastructure of the United States and oversees freight and passenger railroads. It is one of 10 agencies within the U.S. Department of Transportation. It is also charged with maintaining and expanding the current railway systems, ensuring capability of the railroad industry to meet the growing demand for freight and travel, as well as providing leadership in national and regional system planning.The primary responsibility of the government in the field of rail transportation is safety. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is responsible for this, and it has several divisions that oversee the country’s passenger and freight railway operations. The largest of them is the Office of Railroad Safety, with approximately 350 safety inspectors and is responsible for conducting inspections to determine the compliance with regulations in six technical disciplines including track, signal and train control, motive power and equipment, operating procedures, hazmat and highway-rail grade crossings.FRA has several departments, such as the Office of Railroad Policy and Development. It oversees programs designed to improve passenger and freight railway transportation, including the Northeast Corridor Future. This department is responsible for granting grants given to railways, and collaborates with other agencies in order to plan the nation’s rail requirements.The FRA also has a responsibility to enforce federal laws related to railroads and workers. This includes preventing railroads from discriminating against employees, and making sure that all injured railway employees are provided with transportation to the nearest hospital for first aid treatment. Railroads are also prohibited from deny or delay medical treatment for injured railway workers.The FRA is the primary regulator of the passenger and freight rail industries, however there are other organizations which manage the economic aspects of rail transportation. Surface Transportation Board is responsible for determining rates and governing the economics of the industry. It is also the regulator for railroad mergers, line sales, construction, and abandonment. Other responsibilities include establishing regulations after a public input opportunity and participation, where anyone can report alleged rail safety violations to the agency.FunctionsRails transport people and goods from and to cities in developed countries as also to villages in less developed countries. They transport raw materials to manufacturing and processing factories, and then the final products from these facilities to stores and warehouses. Railroads are an essential mode of transportation for a variety of essential commodities, including oil, coal and grains. In 2020, freight rail moved more than a quarter of the country’s total freight volume [PDF].Federal railroads operate as a business just like other businesses, with departments for marketing and sales, operations and an executive department. The department for marketing and sales works with potential and existing customers as well as clients to determine the services they need and what they will cost. The operations department then creates rail services that meet these needs at the lowest price possible to generate revenue for railroads. The executive department oversees the entire operation, making sure every department is running smoothly.The government provides support to railways with a variety means such as grants and subsidised rates on government-owned traffic. Congress also offers funds to help build new track and stations. These subsidies are usually in addition to the revenues the railroads receive from ticket sales and freight contracts.Amtrak is owned by the United States government. It is a quasi-public for-profit corporation, which has the United States Government as a major stockholder.The Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) main function is to develop and enforce safety regulations for railroads. This includes regulating the mechanical state of trains as well as the safety and health of railroad employees. FRA also analyzes and collects information on rail safety to identify patterns and areas that might require improvement or more regulatory attention.FRA also has other projects that help improve the safety and economy of rail transportation in the United States. For instance, FRA is working to remove obstacles that could hinder railroads’ implementation of positive train control systems (PTC). PTC is a safety system that utilizes sensors and computers on board to stop a train in the event that it is too close to an object or vehicle.HistoryThe nation’s first railroads were built in the 1820s and 1830s, mostly in New England and the Mid-Atlantic states. The railroads increased industrialization and brought more food items to market in these areas. fela railroad accident lawyer allowed the country become more independent and less dependent on imports.In the late 19th century the railroad industry experienced the benefits of a “Golden Age” in which new, more efficient rail lines were constructed and passenger travel became popular. This was in large part due to the government’s efforts to expand the railroad system. For instance, the government granted land grants to homesteaders in order to encourage them to settle in the West. Central Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads also partnered to construct the first transcontinental railroad, which allowed passengers to travel from New York City to San Francisco in just six days.In the first half century however the demand for passenger rail services dwindled, while other modes of transport like planes and cars became more popular. Meanwhile, stifling regulation made it difficult for railroads to compete. A string of bankruptcies, service cuts, and deferred maintenance were the result. Additionally, a misguided railroad regulations from the federal government led to the demise of the industry.In the year 1970 the federal government began to ease the regulatory shackles on railroads. Surface Transportation Board was created to oversee economic aspects such as railroad rates and mergers. The Federal Railroad Administration was also established, which is responsible for establishing rules for safety in rail and is one of the 10 agencies in the U.S. Department of Transportation which oversees passenger and freight transportation.Since then, a great amount of money has been made in the country’s railway infrastructure. The Northeast Corridor, for example has been renovated to accommodate more efficient, faster and modern high-speed ground transportation (HSGT) trains. There have also been efforts to create more efficient freight rail systems. FRA hopes to continue working with all transportation agencies to ensure the safety and reliability of rails in the coming years. It is the job of FRA to help make sure that the transportation system of the United States is as efficient as it can be.