FRA okays weekly rail track inspections using tech
The Federal Railroad Administration on Friday approved a waiver allowing U.S. freight railroads to reduce manual track inspections to as little as once per week when they employ automated track-geometry inspection systems, rejecting industry requests to cut human checks to twice monthly and to allow three days to repair defects. FRA’s decision requires immediate repairs of serious defects and fixes for all defects within 24 hours, as unions warn safety risks could rise and railroads cite BNSF and Norfolk Southern pilots showing improved safety under reduced manual inspections.
📌 Key Facts
- FRA approved the Association of American Railroads’ waiver on Dec. 5, 2025, permitting manual inspections to drop to once weekly with automated inspection tech in use.
- FRA denied a requested three-day repair window; serious defects must be fixed immediately and all defects within 24 hours.
- Automated systems (cameras/lasers) flag track geometry issues; BMWED union president Tony Cardwell argues tech should supplement, not replace, human inspections.
- Railroads cited extended tests at BNSF and Norfolk Southern where reduced manual inspections reportedly coincided with improved safety metrics.
📊 Relevant Data
Track defects are the leading cause of train derailments in the US, accounting for approximately 36% of incidents.
Train Derailments: Annual Trends, Causes & Response Strategies — West Side Salvage
From 2020 to 2023, track-caused derailments in the US decreased by 50%.
DIGGING DEEPER: Freight train derailments by the numbers — KTTC
Automated track inspection technology identified 200 times more defects than visual inspections in one railroad test.
Association of American Railroads Points The Way Forward For Automated Track Inspection — RT&S
On average, there were about 1,300 train derailments per year in the US over the last decade.
Are train derailments becoming more common in the US? — USAFacts
Since 1975, approximately 144 people have died in train derailments in the US.
Are train derailments becoming more common in the US? — USAFacts