Railroads will be allowed to reduce inspections, rely more on technology to spot track problems
Source: News Tribune Jefferson City, MO/AP
8 hours, 15 minutes ago
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.
The Association of American Railroads trade group asked for the relief from inspection requirements that were written back in 1971 because railroads believe the automated track inspection technology they use today is so good at spotting problems early that human inspections aren't needed as frequently. They say that extended tests that BNSF and Norfolk Southern ran show that safety actually improved even when human inspections were reduced from twice a week to twice a month.
The Federal Railroad Administration didn't go quite that far in its decision, but the agency said railroads will be able to cut inspections down to only once a week under the approved waiver. The railroads had also asked for permission to have up to three days to repair defects identified by the automated inspections. But the Federal Railroad Administration said any serious defects in the tracks must be repaired immediately and all defects should be addressed within 24 hours.
Union says technology can miss problems. These automated inspection systems use an array of cameras and lasers installed either on a locomotive or on a railcar that can be pulled as part of a train to assess whether the tracks are moving out of alignment or shifting. But the union that represents track inspectors says the technology can't detect things like the rock underneath the track shifting, vegetation growing into the path of the trains, a crack in the rail or railroad ties rotting out. Plus, inspectors can spot a combination of small defects that might together derail a train where the machine might not register a problem, the union says.
Read more: https://www.newstribune.com/news/2025/dec/06/railroads-will-be-allowed-to-reduce-inspections/
cbabe
(6,576 posts)KRON4
https://www.kron4.com news technology-ai dog-hit-by-waymo-in-sf-weeks-after-beloved-cat-struck-and-killed
Dog hit by Waymo in SF, weeks after beloved cat struck and killed
4 days agoSunday's incident comes just weeks after a beloved cat, known as the "Mayor of 16th Street," was struck and killed by a Waymo in San Francisco's
Silent Type
(12,412 posts)JustABozoOnThisBus
(24,667 posts)I'm sure the RRs will create a concept of a plan, as they reduce the number of inspectors.
RR execs will expect bonuses.
underpants
(196,192 posts)People who live near the tracks. Hell its a 50/50 shot they live on the wrong side anyway.
Its like the derailment in East Palestine Ohio wasnt really that important to them other than for the political TV coverage.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Palestine,_Ohio,_train_derailment
FredGarvin
(846 posts)It improves quality of manufacturing.
underpants
(196,192 posts)My father in law was railroad and it changed my wifes life trajectory. Thats why her father got the job. My mother in law has her own railroad pension because of the union. He paid into that not Social Security.
IronLionZion
(51,151 posts)MAGA are always willing to sacrifice such people even if they voted MAGA.
underpants
(196,192 posts)Gore1FL
(22,939 posts)I am guessing they ran some sort of a pilot, already. It would be interesting to see the data they are using to make this call.
FredGarvin
(846 posts)Equip a rail car with sensors that measure things that a group of people walking down the tracks cant.
FredGarvin
(846 posts)Lets face it, using technology has benefits.
displacedvermoter
(4,289 posts)not to enhance safety, but to save money and to serve as an excuse to fire people.
That is the benefit Duffy and the railroad companies care about
Response to FredGarvin (Reply #5)
jfz9580m This message was self-deleted by its author.
yonder
(10,286 posts)Response to yonder (Reply #18)
jfz9580m This message was self-deleted by its author.
fujiyamasan
(1,622 posts)And it can alert engineers and technicians ahead of time when something about to breakdown.
But Im wary of technology being a replacement for human inspections. As we know with this administration, regulations that enhance safety are viewed as a burden, so this is just another way to make things easier and cheaper for the corporations.
electric_blue68
(26,777 posts)It was a specialized sleep away/galley car with 3 or 4 people.
They had these metal brushes that swept over the rails. These would send electrical signals to, I think, oscilloscopes.
What they were looking out for was hidden rail metal fatigue, particularly because the rails were experiencing massive increases in load bearing during the war.
The rails would start to hollow out from the inside - so totally hidden!
But it would be indicated by a difference in the electrical signals displayed.
I think they sprayed red paint at those spots for the repair crews.
Three days for repairs?! Doesn't sound very good. Maybe depends on what needs repairing.
________________________
On rare occasions at night while in the subway I've seen a practically windowless car come through. I wouldn't be surprised to find out it was doing the same monitoring.
jfz9580m
(17,060 posts)Thanks..bookmarking.
I woke up with a severe headache this morning thats making thinking harder than usual, but I should reread it later.
electric_blue68
(26,777 posts)Emile
(42,025 posts)on local train switching. What used to be a four man crew, is now done by one person walking along side of the train with a remote control in his hands operating the engine.
SWBTATTReg
(26,238 posts)protecting them on limits of liability...
TygrBright
(21,356 posts)Cirsium
(3,869 posts).
Botany
(77,149 posts)
hatrack
(64,763 posts)
Lac Megantic Quebec, 2013 - 47 fatalities.
Botany
(77,149 posts)
. just let the fires burn off the chemicals because that was the easiest and cheapest way to go. Instead of covering the fires with foam, then water, recovering the foam, water, and any of the chemicals that had
leaked out, and then when it was save removing the remaining chemicals from the tank cars.
lark
(26,063 posts)Worse person in the world!