FRA

WASHINGTON – Passenger and commuter rail cars will be required to have more emergency safety features, including additional window exits, under proposed regulations announced by Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph H. Boardman. “Every American who travels by train deserves the highest level of safety possible,” Boardman said. “Serious passenger rail accidents are rare, but being better prepared to handle them provides an important level of safety,” he added noting that the proposed changes will affect both existing and newly manufactured passenger rail cars. Under the proposed rule, passenger rail cars will be required to have additional emergency window exits and rescue

WASHINGTON – Calling it the most significant development in railroad brake technology since the 1870s, Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph H. Boardman announced his intention to propose revised federal rail safety regulations to facilitate the installation of Electronically Controlled Pneumatic (ECP) brake systems capable of preventing derailments and shortening train-stopping distances. “ECP brakes are to trains what anti-lock brakes are to automobiles—they provide better control,” Boardman said. “It offers a quantum improvement in rail safety,” he added. ECP brakes are applied uniformly and virtually instantaneously on every rail car throughout the train, rather than sequentially from one rail car to the

WASHINGTON – The Federal Railroad Administration has given a $679,000 grant to the D.C.-based Railroad Research Foundation. The grant means an advanced train control system that can prevent train collisions, reduce the probability of speed-related derailments and protect on-track railroad workers is one step closer to being, the FRA said. The technology being developed will allow passenger trains to safely operate at 110 mph between Chicago and St. Louis in the same rail corridor as slower freight trains. The funding supports the ongoing activities of the North American Joint Positive Train Control Project, a collaborative effort between the FRA, the

WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) will hold a series of public meetings across the country beginning in August to start a national discussion on the challenging issue of improving safety at the nation’s largely unregulated private highway-rail grade crossings, FRA Administrator Joseph H. Boardman announced. "The lack of a common safety approach at private crossings unnecessarily puts certain motorists at risk," Boardman said. "We need to learn all we can about private crossings in order to consider possible methods of reducing collisions and fatalities in the future." Establishing responsibility for safety at private crossings is one of the

WASHINGTON — Preventing and reducing collisions, fatalities and injuries arising from highway-rail grade crossing and railroad trespass incidents is the goal of a $1.03 million Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) grant to Operation Lifesaver, Inc. (OLI), a not-for-profit railroad safety education organization. Trespassing and highway-rail grade crossing deaths comprise approximately 95 percent of all rail-related fatalities in the United States each year. The grant funding will be used for public education and awareness programs in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. As part of the grant agreement, OLI is required to receive 25 percent matching in-kind contributions from non-government