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BumRushDaShow

(168,912 posts)
Sat Dec 6, 2025, 02:16 PM Dec 2025

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/

28 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Railroads will be allowed to reduce inspections, rely more on technology to spot track problems (Original Post) BumRushDaShow Dec 2025 OP
Someone is making bank. cbabe Dec 2025 #1
Have no doubt technology can handle a lot of monitoring. It's a least an aid to inspectors. Silent Type Dec 2025 #2
The tech will take time and money to implement. JustABozoOnThisBus Dec 2025 #26
Cutting jobs. Eh, if there's a derailment who's really going to get hurt? underpants Dec 2025 #3
Using technology is a good thing FredGarvin Dec 2025 #6
It's less (good) jobs and less safe. underpants Dec 2025 #11
Yup, it's mostly low income folks who live near freight rail tracks IronLionZion Dec 2025 #12
Exactly. 👍 underpants Dec 2025 #15
It's in their own best interest to inspect the tracks. Gore1FL Dec 2025 #4
Europe used this tech for decades FredGarvin Dec 2025 #7
Technology is good FredGarvin Dec 2025 #5
But the use of these technologies is being pushed over human inspections displacedvermoter Dec 2025 #9
This message was self-deleted by its author jfz9580m Dec 2025 #17
This would be a fine OP by itself. yonder Dec 2025 #18
This message was self-deleted by its author jfz9580m Dec 2025 #19
Preventive tech is great fujiyamasan Dec 2025 #27
One of the railroad Track Maintenance Monitoring things my dad did during WW2.... electric_blue68 Dec 2025 #8
Interesting post jfz9580m Dec 2025 #20
Cool! Glad you found it interesting. I hope you felt better as the day went on! electric_blue68 Dec 2025 #21
They use remote control instead of engineers now Emile Dec 2025 #10
I guess that folks can still sue them if negligent on maint., etc. But they probably, being a carrier, have some law SWBTATTReg Dec 2025 #13
What could possibly go wrong? n/t TygrBright Dec 2025 #14
"Hold my beer" n/t Cirsium Dec 2025 #16
Good Idea reduced inspections and maintenance worked great in eastern Ohio in 2023 Botany Dec 2025 #22
And railroads would NEVER cut corners on safety to save money with human crews! hatrack Dec 2025 #24
Or hire an environmental firm to do the clean up as was the case in Palestine, OH whose advice was ..... Botany Dec 2025 #25
krasnov continues at his record settig pace to kill Americans - for his own personal profit!! lark Dec 2025 #23
The technology probably needs inspected too. Sneederbunk Dec 2025 #28

cbabe

(6,576 posts)
1. Someone is making bank.
Sat Dec 6, 2025, 02:22 PM
Dec 2025

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

JustABozoOnThisBus

(24,667 posts)
26. The tech will take time and money to implement.
Sun Dec 7, 2025, 03:33 PM
Dec 2025

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)
3. Cutting jobs. Eh, if there's a derailment who's really going to get hurt?
Sat Dec 6, 2025, 02:31 PM
Dec 2025

People who live near the tracks. Hell it’s a 50/50 shot they live on the wrong side anyway.


It’s like the derailment in East Palestine Ohio wasn’t really that important to them other than for the political TV coverage.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Palestine,_Ohio,_train_derailment

underpants

(196,192 posts)
11. It's less (good) jobs and less safe.
Sat Dec 6, 2025, 05:16 PM
Dec 2025

My father in law was railroad and it changed my wife’s life trajectory. That’s 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)
12. Yup, it's mostly low income folks who live near freight rail tracks
Sat Dec 6, 2025, 08:06 PM
Dec 2025

MAGA are always willing to sacrifice such people even if they voted MAGA.

Gore1FL

(22,939 posts)
4. It's in their own best interest to inspect the tracks.
Sat Dec 6, 2025, 03:04 PM
Dec 2025

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)
7. Europe used this tech for decades
Sat Dec 6, 2025, 03:47 PM
Dec 2025

Equip a rail car with sensors that measure things that a group of people walking down the tracks cant.

displacedvermoter

(4,289 posts)
9. But the use of these technologies is being pushed over human inspections
Sat Dec 6, 2025, 04:28 PM
Dec 2025

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)

Response to yonder (Reply #18)

fujiyamasan

(1,622 posts)
27. Preventive tech is great
Sun Dec 7, 2025, 05:14 PM
Dec 2025

And it can alert engineers and technicians ahead of time when something about to breakdown.

But I’m 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)
8. One of the railroad Track Maintenance Monitoring things my dad did during WW2....
Sat Dec 6, 2025, 04:13 PM
Dec 2025

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)
20. Interesting post
Sun Dec 7, 2025, 12:31 AM
Dec 2025

Thanks..bookmarking.
I woke up with a severe headache this morning that’s making thinking harder than usual, but I should reread it later.

Emile

(42,025 posts)
10. They use remote control instead of engineers now
Sat Dec 6, 2025, 04:35 PM
Dec 2025

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)
13. I guess that folks can still sue them if negligent on maint., etc. But they probably, being a carrier, have some law
Sat Dec 6, 2025, 08:36 PM
Dec 2025

protecting them on limits of liability...

hatrack

(64,763 posts)
24. And railroads would NEVER cut corners on safety to save money with human crews!
Sun Dec 7, 2025, 01:49 PM
Dec 2025


Lac Megantic Quebec, 2013 - 47 fatalities.

Botany

(77,149 posts)
25. Or hire an environmental firm to do the clean up as was the case in Palestine, OH whose advice was .....
Sun Dec 7, 2025, 03:03 PM
Dec 2025

…. 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)
23. krasnov continues at his record settig pace to kill Americans - for his own personal profit!!
Sun Dec 7, 2025, 01:35 PM
Dec 2025

Worse person in the world!
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