FRA moving to require crew respirators

WASHINGTON — Railroads will be required by the Federal Railroad Administration to provide respirators for train and engine workers hauling hazardous materials. The Rail Safety Improvement Act mandated that the FRA impose such a requirement through a rulemaking, which is [...]

Federal HSR aid now tops $10 billion

A new round of federal funding will aid development of 54 separate high-speed rail lines in 23 states, says the Department of Transportation. Those projects will share $2.4 billion in newly approved federal funding announced last week by Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. T [...]

FRA told: ‘Mexican trains must be inspected’

Union Pacific is at it again — and the UTU and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen intend to stop it, again. The “it” is a UP request to the Federal Railroad Administration that UP be allowed to bring trains from Mexico into the United State [...]

FRA warns of lapses in situational awareness

Citing a series of on-duty career ending injuries and fatalities over the past 24 months that occurred on or near mainline track, the Federal Railroad Administration has issued a safety advisory on the importance of situational awareness, especially when the job being perform [...]

FRA to make cell-phone ban permanent

WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration has announced it will make permanent its Emergency Order No. 26 restricting the use by on-duty train crews of cell phones and other electronic devices. Some changes, as described below, are to be included in the permanent [...]