FRA

FRA: “A Shared Interest in Saving Lives”

Despite significant improvements over several decades, deaths resulting from highway-rail grade crossing incidents and illegal trespassing continue to account for about 95% of all rail-related fatalities in the U.S. annually. The number of fatalities has plateaued over the last ten years with a combined average of 750 per year excluding suicides. For the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), identifying effective and innovative ways to prevent these fatalities is a top priority, and the agency is seeking to expand and strengthen longstanding partnerships with railroads, states, communities, law enforcement and others to adopt solutions more quickly.

FRA Offers $396MM in SOGR Grants

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)—including $396 million in grant funding—for the Federal-State Partnership for State of Good Repair Program (Partnership Program).

Commentary

Rail Safety, Skateboards and Google

FINANCIAL EDGE, RAILWAY AGE SEPTEMBER 2019 ISSUE: On Aug. 14, the ESPN show ¿Highly Questionable? showed a video clip of a skateboarder sliding underneath a moving passenger locomotive, riding the rail on the skateboard and then sliding back out from underneath the train before the second wheelset (1). (The clip can be seen starting at about 16:30 into the video.) The hosts were suitably shocked and aghast over the audacity of the act of sliding underneath a locomotive and unsurprisingly thoughtless about the carelessness of the rider.

FRA Green-Lights DC2RVA Project

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), in cooperation with the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT), announced that the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Washington, D.C., to Richmond Southeast Higher Speed Rail Project (DC2RVA) has been signed, completing the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) study process and making the project eligible to receive additional federal funding to advance project planning.

PTC 87% Done: FRA

With 16 months left until the Congressionally mandated Dec. 31, 2020 deadline for full implementation of PTC (Positive Train Control), the U.S. railroad industry is drawing close, according to the Federal Railroad Administration’s Second-Quarter 2019 PTC Progress Report.

FRA SOGR Grants Top $272MM

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has awarded more than $272 million in grants to 10 passenger rail projects in as many states. The funding is provided through FRA’s Federal-State Partnership for State of Good Repair Program (SOGR Program), and will help to repair and rehabilitate railroad infrastructure around the country.

Commentary

PTC’s 50th Anniversary? Give Me a Break, NTSB

We’re celebrating a whole lot this year. We’re celebrating the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, recognizing the right of women to vote. I know a few of us are celebrating the 155th anniversary of Sherman’s March to the Sea, breaking the back of the Slaveholders’ Rebellion.

Alexy named FRA chief safety officer

Karl Alexy has been named the Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety and Chief Safety Officer of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). He was most recently the FRA’s Deputy Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety and had responsibility for the Office of Safety Analysis, the Office of Technical Oversight and the Office of Regional Operations.

Commentary

Medical fitness-for-duty standards: Where are they?

“According to the BNSF employment records for the 52-year old male striking train engineer, a pre-employment physical examination and health questionnaire dated June 28, 1994, identified no significant medical conditions.” Hold that thought.

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