FRA to allow paperwork reduction

Three actions announced by the FRA this month are intended to eliminate out-of-date duplicative paperwork for smaller railroads, as well as for engineers seeking dual engineer and conductor certification. 

Among the changes proposed:

* Streamlining the process for certifying locomotive engineers by  allowing engineers to use a single medical certificate for both the conductor and engineer certification processes.

* Implementation of electronic recordkeeping for smaller freight and commuter railroads, estimated to save some 200,000 hours of paperwork annually. Those carriers using electronic recordkeeping may manage their reports internally, rather than submitting every written report to the FRA.

* Those smaller railroads that do not shift to electronic recordkeeping will also be permitted to manage their reports internally rather than submitting every report to the FRA.