InfoRail: The Compliance Record System Railroads Actually Need

Railroad Hours of Service: Where the Rules Came From and Who They Apply To Hours of Service rules are among the oldest and most important safety regulations in the railroad industry. They exist for one primary reason: fatigue is a safety risk . Understanding where these rules came from and who they apply to helps explain why Hours of Service compliance remains a critical responsibility for railroads today. The origins of Railroad Hours of Service Railroad Hours of Service laws date back to the early 20th century. As railroads expanded rapidly, long duty periods and minimal rest requirements became common. Crews routinely worked extended hours, increasing the risk of accidents tied to fatigue. In response, Congress passed the Hours of Service Act of 1907 , establishing limits on how long certain railroad employees could remain on duty and requiring minimum rest periods between shifts. The intent was straightforward: reduce fatigue-related accidents by limiting excessive working hours. How Hours of Service evolved over time While the original Hours of Service Act focused on basic limits, the law has been revised and expanded multiple times to reflect changes in railroad operations. Over time, regulations have addressed: Maximum on-duty time Required off-duty rest periods Cumulative duty limits Recordkeeping requirements Oversight and enforcement authority Today, these requirements are codified primarily under 49 CFR Part 228 , which governs Hours of Service recordkeeping and compliance. Who is subject to Railroad Hours of Service rules Hours of Service rules apply to specific categories of railroad employees whose duties directly affect safety. Commonly covered employees include: Train and engine service employees Dispatching service employees Signal employees These roles are subject to Hours of Service limits because fatigue in these positions can directly impact the safe movement of trains and protection of track. Not all railroad employees are subject to Hours of Service regulations. Administrative staff, mechanical forces, and other non-covered roles are generally excluded unless they perform duties that place them within a covered service category. Why coverage matters for compliance Determining who is subject to Hours of Service rules is not always simple. Employees may perform multiple roles, temporary assignments, or relief duties that change their coverage status. That complexity creates compliance risk when: Covered and non-covered duties overlap Duty status changes mid-shift Records are incomplete or inconsistent Manual tracking methods are used Accurate classification and recordkeeping are essential to maintaining compliance. Why Hours of Service still matters today Despite more than a century of regulation, fatigue remains a concern in railroad operations. Hours of Service rules continue to serve as a foundational safety control. For railroads, compliance is not just about meeting regulatory requirements. It is about: Reducing fatigue-related risk Supporting safe operations Demonstrating effective oversight Responding confidently to audits and inquiries Managing Hours of Service in modern operations Modern railroad operations are more complex than those envisioned in 1907. Managing Hours of Service compliance today requires clear records, consistent processes, and reliable visibility into duty time. As operations evolve, so must the tools used to manage compliance. Understanding the history and scope of Railroad Hours of Service is the first step toward managing it effectively.

The real challenge with Hours of Service Railroads operate with irregular schedules, relief crews, deadhead moves, and changing assignments. Managing Hours of Service across those conditions requires more than manual review. Spreadsheets and paper can record time, but they do not reliably provide: Early warning of approaching limits Consistent records across departments Clear audit history Practical visibility for compliance teams What an effective Hours of Service system provides An effective Hours of Service software solution must support both operations and compliance. That means accurate duty time capture, consistent records, and visibility into upcoming exposure. WebHOS was built specifically for that purpose. What WebHOS does WebHOS is a Hours of Service recordkeeping and visibility system designed for railroad operations. It supports compliance under 49 CFR Part 228 while helping railroads identify risk before violations occur. It does not replace dispatching or crew calling systems. It provides the compliance layer those systems often lack. Built for real railroad oversight WebHOS is built by railroad people who understand how duty time is tracked, reviewed, and audited. It is designed to support real operations, not generic workforce assumptions. If Hours of Service compliance is part of your responsibility, WebHOS helps you manage it before problems occur.

TrackAccess Updates: Aligning Terminology, Expanding Capabilities, and Supporting Continued Growth TrackAccess continues to evolve based on how railroads actually operate. Recent updates reflect a focused effort to align more closely with industry standards, expand operational capability, and better support the needs of short line and industrial railroads. These changes are driven by real-world use and direct feedback from railroad operators. Terminology aligned with the General Code of Operating Rules One of the most important updates to TrackAccess is the continued alignment of system terminology with the General Code of Operating Rules (GCOR) . Clear and consistent terminology matters in railroad operations. Using language that matches established rulebooks reduces ambiguity, supports training, and helps ensure authorities are issued and understood consistently. By aligning TrackAccess terminology with GCOR conventions, the system integrates more naturally into existing operating practices and reduces the need for mental translation between software and rulebooks. Expanded capabilities with DTC block utilization TrackAccess has expanded its ability to support operations that utilize Direct Traffic Control (DTC) blocks . This enhancement improves flexibility for railroads operating under DTC or mixed authority environments, allowing TrackAccess to better reflect how authority is structured and communicated in those territories. Supporting DTC block utilization helps ensure the system remains adaptable to a range of operating rules and territory configurations commonly found on short line and industrial railroads. Enhanced bulletins for operational awareness Another significant update includes enhanced bulletin functionality. Bulletins play a critical role in communicating operating conditions, restrictions, and safety information. Improvements to bulletin handling within TrackAccess strengthen operational awareness by making important information clearer, more consistent, and easier to reference alongside active authorities. These enhancements support safer operations by ensuring crews and supervisors have access to relevant information in a structured and reliable format. Built to support short line and industrial railroads TrackAccess is designed with the realities of short line and industrial railroad operations in mind. These operations often manage varied territories, limited resources, and evolving operating needs. Recent updates continue to focus on: Practical workflows Clear authority visibility Adaptability to different rule sets Scalable functionality as operations grow Rather than forcing a one-size-fits-all model, TrackAccess is built to fit how these railroads actually operate. Looking ahead TrackAccess will continue to grow alongside the railroads that use it. Future development will remain focused on safety, clarity, and operational practicality. We look forward to supporting continued growth across short line and industrial railroad operations and to evolving TrackAccess as operating needs and industry standards continue to develop.

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