U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced recently that the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) Railroad Safety Board approved a new waiver that would allow U.S. railroads to expand automated track inspection (ATI) technology.
The FRA’s five-year waiver would give the rail industry an opportunity to demonstrate how ATI technology can help inspectors in identifying defects or hazards that might be missed during routine visual inspections. The waiver would let the railroads collect data and test the technology in the field.
“The new waiver will allow U.S. railroads to complement visual track inspections with innovative technology that will identify issues on our rail before they become a serious safety threat for rail passengers and crew,” Duffy said. “Achieving the highest standards of safety is the top priority and this research can help our industry unlock the latest and greatest methods to get American families to their destinations as safely and efficiently as possible.”
The FRA’s Railroad Safety Board approved the ATI waiver to be similar to other ATI test programs conducted by freight and commuter railroads with minor changes to non-automated track inspection activities like data collection and sharing, which will help the agency evaluate ATI benefits and drawback better.
“This waiver will provide the industry with an opportunity to demonstrate the potential of automated track inspection technology to enhance rail safety and improve efficiency,” FRA Administrator David Fink said. “ATI technology is designed to enhance already effective visual inspections by catching things that human eyes miss.”