Railroads can experiment with automated track inspections over the next five years, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced Friday.
Automated track inspection assesses railway conditions by using lasers and sensors as a train moves. Unions have fought the use of the technology where it would replace visual inspections by their members.
A panel within the Federal Railroad Administration, which is part of DOT, approved the move.
“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 ...