Together We Can Usher in a New Era for America’s Railroads

DAVID ARMSTRONG FINK
Administrator
Federal Railroad Administration

I’ve been part of the rail industry since I was 15, following in my father’s footsteps and becoming the fifth generation of the Fink family to work in this industry—one that has helped drive the nation’s growth for more than 200 years. Today, as the leader of the agency responsible for regulating it, I’m charged with ensuring our railroads remain strong, resilient, and prepared to serve the country for the next two centuries.

It’s true that rail is one of the oldestmodes of transportation, but that history does not mean it is stagnant or short on innovation. At FRA’s recent Rail Tech Summit, we highlighted the many ways the industry continues to evolve. One example is Duos Technologies’ Mobile Inspection Portal (M-RIP), which was featured at the event. Once deployed, M-RIP will use high-speed cameras and artificial intelligence to detect flaws in rail cars as they move through at full speed—helping identify potential issues before they become real problems. These exciting technologies will give rail workers and safety inspectors more tools to do their important work.

Much of the new technology on display focused on making rail even safer, particularly to prevent derailments. Since 1976, derailments have declined from 56,314 to 3,043 in 2025, and FRA remains committed to working with industry to make an already safe rail system even safer.

Using new technologies to further improve day-to-day rail operations is a big part of what we’re doing at FRA. In fact, I consider supporting technological development to be a key part of what I refer to as FRA’s “Dual Mandate” to support both safety and development.

Alongside our support for technological innovation to improve day-to-day operations, we are also working to right-size regulations to enhance safety. At the same time, FRA continues to expand its pool of safety inspectors and has recently strengthened requirements by raising safety standards for tank cars.

Under USDOT Secretary Sean P. Duffy, FRA is ushering in a new golden age for passenger rail and the many commuters who rely on this critical mode of transportation. Since being confirmed as FRA Administrator, I’ve had the opportunity to work with Amtrak to tackle several opportunities and challenges, including replacing Amtrak’s aging rolling stock fleet with new American-made Airo trainsets and announcing the New York Penn Station redesign, which will revolutionize how Americans get in and out of our nation’s largest city.

Along with the rest of USDOT, and the larger federal government, FRA is striving to focus on the needs of the American people with efforts extending inwards as well.

Under my leadership, FRA has undergone a long-overdue reorganization, streamlining the way the agency conducts day-to-day operations, allowing us to do more with less and to be more responsive to the public.

With support from FRA, the railroad industry is entering a new era—one defined by learning from past mistakes, modernizing aging infrastructure, and expanding for the future. But progress won’t happen by itself. It will take all of us working together to strengthen America’s railroads and ensure that future generations, including a sixth and even seventh generation of Finks, can continue building careers in this remarkable industry.