FRA | ISHN

U.S. railroad companies slow to adopt safety technology

November 29, 2016

Railroads across the U.S. are making uneven progress in implementing Positive Train Control (PTC), the technology designed to automatically stop a train before collisions occur.

High-speed train requirements to be included in safety standards

November 25, 2016

As the U.S. moves to replace some of its aging passenger train fleet with high-speed trains that can travel up to 220 miles per hour, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is moving to update safety standards for passenger trains in order to account for the speedy newcomers.

Do you live near one of the most dangerous railroad crossings in the U.S.?

Feds ID deadliest crossings, by the numbers

April 22, 2016

Of the more than 200,000 railroad crossings in the U.S., 15 have been the site of ten or more incidents during the last decade, according to a list released by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA).

Louisiana gets $1.1 million to improve railroad crossing safety

February 17, 2016

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has awarded a $1.1 million grant to the State of Louisiana to increase safety at railroad crossings along six miles of Kansas City Southern tracks from North Street to Louise Street in Baton Rouge.

NTSB wants Amtrak to videotape its crew members

July 9, 2015

In a letter to Amtrak yesterday, the National Transportation Safety Board said that it should install crash- and fire-protected inward- and outward-facing audio and image recorders in the operating cabs of all of its trains, and review the recordings to ensure that crew actions are in accordance with procedures.

NTSB looking into Amtrak engineer’s cell phone records

May 21, 2015

As part of its ongoing investigation into the devastating May 12, 2015, derailment of Amtrak Train 188 in Philadelphia, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is examining the engineer’s cell phone records, which were obtained via a subpoena by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA).

NTSB wants railroads to use “fatigue science” when scheduling personnel

May 15, 2015

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has issued a number of recommendations based on its investigation into a crash involving a Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) train.

ND town evacuated after train derailment, fire

May 7, 2015

Residents of the tiny town of Heimdal, North Dakota and people on surrounding farms were evacuated yesterday after a BNSF train carrying crude oil derailed, causing ten cars to become engulfed in flames.

NTSB to hold forum on the dangers of railroad trespassing

March 11, 2015

Trains colliding with other trains, trucks and cars are high profile stories – especially within the last month or so. When trains collide with people, the results can be even deadlier, yet such accidents tend not to garner as much media coverage as the other kind.

Amtrak train hits truck at North Carolina crossing

Tractor-trailer slowed by oversized load

March 10, 2015

A collision between an Amtrak train and a tractor-trailer yesterday in North Carolina injured dozens of passengers. There were no fatalities. A spokesman for the state’s Department of Transportation said the locomotive and baggage car of the train derailed during the accident, which occurred at a crossing.