US EditionRailroads will be allowed to reduce inspections and rely more on technology to spot track problems
The waiver lets freight railroads reduce in-person inspections to once a week using automated systems that detected 4.54 defects per 100 miles compared to 0.01 defects manually, FRA said.
- On Friday, the federal government approved the nation's freight railroads' waiver request, allowing the Federal Railroad Administration to reduce visual track inspections to once a week.
- The trade group Association of American Railroads asked for relief from 1971 inspection rules, citing extended industry tests that detected 4.54 defects per 100 miles versus 0.01 by manual checks.
- Automated systems mounted on trains use arrays of cameras and lasers on locomotives or railcars to assess track geometry, with industry test results showing safety improved when inspections dropped from twice a week to twice a month.
- Regulators mandated that the Federal Railroad Administration required serious defects be repaired immediately and all defects addressed within 24 hours, despite railroads seeking up to three days.
- Railroads say freeing inspectors from some mandated track checks lets them focus more on switches and other manually inspected equipment, but track inspectors warned less-frequent patrols reduce familiarity with territory.
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52 Articles
FRA action opens door for increased automated track inspections
A BNSF Railway track inspection train runs by the Belmont Metra Station in Downers Grove, Ill., on Sept. 24, 2022. The FRA has approved a five-year waiver allowing increased use of automated track inspection. David Lassen WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration today (Dec. 5) approved a five-year waiver allowing expanded use of automatic track inspection, ending a long period when the FRA had not acted on requests regarding the technolo…
Railroads Will Be Allowed to Reduce Inspections and Rely More on Technology to Spot Track Problems
The nation's freight railroads are going to be able to try relying more on technology and inspect their tracks in person less often after the federal government approved their waiver request on Friday.
Associated Press News
Railroads will be allowed to reduce inspections and rely more on technology to spot track problems
The nation’s freight railroads are going to be able to try relying more on technology and inspect their tracks less often after the federal government approved their waiver request on Friday.
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