Nearly half (48 percent) of rail tank cars carrying Class 3 flammable liquids in 2019 met new safety requirements, up from a third (33 percent) in 2018.
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has submitted to the Federal Register a final rule allowing railroads to use ultrasonic inspection technology, augmented with global positioning system (GPS) technology, to employ continuous rail testing.
Nearly all railroads subject to the positive train control (PTC) mandate are operating their systems in revenue service or in advanced field testing. However, two railroads are at risk of not fully implementing PTC on all required main lines by Dec. 31: New Jersey Transit and New Mexico Rail Runner Express.
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) recently awarded more than $520,000 in Railroad Trespassing Enforcement Grants to law enforcement agencies in several states.