As reported by Railway-News, the FRA waiver for ATI technology, recently approved by the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) Railroad Safety Board, allows US railroads to expand field testing of automated track inspection (ATI) systems.

This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

FRA waiver for ATI technology expands field tests
Photo: Amtrak

The move, announced by U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and detailed in a U.S. Department of Transportation press release, is intended to produce data that can be used to advance new rail safety technology.

FRA waiver for ATI technology: scope and duration

Under the temporary waiver, which runs for five years, railroads can conduct demonstrations to see how automated track inspection technology supports safety inspectors in day-to-day work.

Don’t miss…CPKC Holiday Train North Dakota lights up communities

Expanded field testing of ATI technology lets them measure how well these systems detect track defects and other hazards that might otherwise slip past routine visual checks. This use of ATI is also discussed by Railway Supply in the broader context of evolving rail safety rules.

Automated track inspection and rail safety for passengers and crew

Commenting on the approval, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said the waiver will allow railroads to use innovative ATI-based tools alongside traditional visual track inspections, so potential issues on the rail network can be spotted earlier and addressed more quickly.

He also stressed that keeping passengers and crew as safe as possible remains the top priority, and that this research effort is meant to unlock better ways of getting American families to their destinations safely and efficiently.

News on railway transport, industry, and railway technologies from Railway Supply that you might have missed:

Don’t miss…UK rail nationalisation plan raises competition concerns

Find the latest news of the railway industry in Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union and the rest of the world on our page on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, read Railway Supply magazine online.

Place your ads on webportal and in Railway Supply magazine. Detailed information is in Railway Supply media kit