The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has announced a new regulation that will require the installation of both inward- and outward-facing image recording devices on passenger train lead locomotives providing scheduled intercity rail passenger or commuter service. This rule, mandated by the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act) and responding to a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommendation, is aimed at improving safety across the passenger rail industry.
According to FRA Administrator Amit Bose, while video recorders may not directly prevent accidents, they play an important role in post-accident investigations by providing valuable evidence to help understand the circumstances of an accident and prevent similar occurrences in the future. In addition, these devices are used to evaluate operator compliance with operating rules and federal regulations, allowing passenger railroads to identify areas for improvement and increase overall safety.
The final rule requires locomotive video recorders to remain operational while the locomotive is moving and to retain at least the last 12 hours of recorded footage in a crash-worthy storage module. It strictly prohibits tampering with or disabling these recording systems, classifying them as essential "safety devices". While the FRA's new rule represents a significant step forward for passenger rail safety, it does not require audio recorders on freight trains. The freight rail industry has voluntarily adopted these recorders, but there is no standard for the amount of data they must retain after an accident, limiting their effectiveness in accident investigations.
“We’re also deeply disappointed the rule excludes freight rail entirely. FRA’s belief that the cost ‘could outweigh the safety benefits’ is an affront to every community that’s experienced a freight or freight-passenger rail disaster,” said NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy.
