Railroad Research
In 1995 Congress requested that TRB convene a committee to review the R&D programs of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). The mainstay of the FRA program is
safety research in support of regulation, but the agency also implemented a demonstration program on technologies to support introduction of high speed passenger rail on existing lines (shared with freight rail).
For FRA’s research programs, the committee has recommended that the agency conduct an ongoing review of emerging issues within the railroad industry to better anticipate the kinds of safety issues it would be addressing in coming years; continue to explore the efficacy of performance-based safety regulations, focus on primary causes of incidents, and identify ways to improve existing incident data. For the agency’s incremental high-speed rail development program, completing the development of positive train control systems should be the highest priority. Without this technology, speeds on rails serving both passengers and freight are limited to 79 mph. The committee has commended the FRA and USDOT’s commitment to funding infrastructure to support the nationwide Differential Global Positioning System, which is required for deployment of positive train control technologies.
Committee for Review of the Federal Railroad Administration's Research, Development, and Demonstration Programs: