‘Force Multipliers’
RAILWAY AGE, SEPTEMBER 2025 ISSUE: Drones are helping railroaders assess risk, reduce dwell, and boost efficiency and safety.
Federal Aviation Administration
FAA, TSA Eye ‘Beyond Visual Line of Sight’ Drone Operations Rule
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) are proposing “performance-based regulations to enable the design and operation of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) at low altitudes beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) and for third-party services, including UAS Traffic Management (UTM), that support these operations.” Routine BVLOS operations “hold tremendous potential for railroads,” Association of American Railroads (AAR) President and CEO Ian Jefferies said following the Aug. 6 release of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.
NASA Awards $38.4MM Contract to Support C3RS
NASA on Jan. 26 announced that it has awarded a contract to Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. of McLean, Va., for the maintenance and operation of incident reporting programs and continuing development to improve current and future reporting systems.
Stephen Goodman Joins HNTB
Stephen Goodman, former Regional Administrator for the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), has been tapped as HNTB Corporation’s National Transit and Rail Practice Consultant and Vice President.
Transit Briefs: Brightline, PANY/NJ
Brightline is now offering shuttle service to South Florida airports and Miami Beach. Also, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANY/NJ) will go forward with bus service, not rail, to link LaGuardia Airport with New York City subways and commuter railroads; has approved an AirTrain Newark (N.J.) access improvement project; and selects Alstom for an AirTrain Newark operations and maintenance services contract.
Julie Green to Receive COMTO Award
The Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) will recognize Hatch LTK Vice President Julie Green and 12 other women for their “outstanding contributions to America’s transportation industry” during its virtual conference, to be held Sept. 28-30.
PANY&NJ Short Lists Four Teams for LaGuardia AirTrain Project
Four teams are on the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s short list for the LaGaurdia (N.Y.) Airport AirTrain procurement; final selection is expected next summer.
FAA Greenlights LaGuardia AirTrain Project
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has approved the approximately $2 billion LaGuardia Airport (N.Y.) AirTrain project, following environmental review.
FAA Releases Rules for Drone Operations
The Federal Aviation Administration has issued two final rules for unmanned aircraft (drone) operations. They cover the requirement for Remote Identification (Remote ID) of drones as well as drone operations over people and at night.
FAA may fly onto more tracks
The Federal Aviation Administration opened public comments on May 3, 2016 for a proposed funding change that could benefit passenger rail development around airports.