This funding, provided under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, is intended to support operating costs for new, restored, or enhanced intercity passenger rail services.

The program aims to improve the quality and accessibility of passenger rail, encouraging a shift towards more sustainable transportation options.

Over the past decade, the FRA reported significant improvements in rail safety because of the railroad industry's investments in infrastructure, technology, and training.

As freight rail operations continue to grow in complexity, both the FRA and railroad companies have worked on addressing new safety issues.

[26][24] The FRA played a significant role in investigating the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, which occurred on February 3, 2023.

The FRA also identified contributing factors, including inadequate communication protocols related to hotbox detectors and the use of general-purpose tank cars for transporting flammable liquids, which exacerbated the severity of the incident.

[27][28][29] In response to the derailment, the FRA initiated several enforcement cases and called for more stringent safety regulations, particularly concerning the placement and operation of wayside detectors designed to identify overheating bearings.

In his testimony, Bose emphasized the FRA's findings that the accident was caused by a failed roller bearing, compounded by inadequate communication and safety procedures within Norfolk Southern.

[38] The Selective Alternative looks to do four major things: Improve rail service by increasing frequency of trains, decreasing travel time, and making better passenger convenience; Modernize NEC infrastructure by having corridor-wide repair and replacing and fixing parts to bring the entire system to increased reliability; Expand rail capacity by adding new infrastructure between cities and increasing train speeds and capacity; and Study New Haven to Providence capacity.

[39] The NEC Future ROD (Record of Decision) was issued in July 2017, which marked the completion of the Tier 1 environmental review process.

[41] This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Department of Transportation.

This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the National Archives and Records Administration.