In a recent Townhall column, Market Institute President Charles Sauer warns that the Biden administration is slowing down innovation in rail safety by stalling the approval of Automatic Track Inspections (ATI). These systems, Sauer writes, “harness advanced sensors and data analytics to scan tracks with greater frequency and precision than traditional manual inspections,” helping prevent accidents before they happen.
The Department of Transportation has been reviewing a waiver that would allow railroads to pair traditional visual inspections with ATI. Mounted on trains or track vehicles, ATI systems can detect cracks, misalignments, and other hazards at speeds of up to 60 mph—delivering real-time data to maintenance teams. “Automation doesn’t replace human skill—it enhances it, supporting inspectors with actionable intelligence and freeing them to focus on complex maintenance tasks,” Sauer explains.
Pilot programs have already proven the technology’s promise. Sauer notes that “the one conducted by BNSF lowered the track geometry defect rate by 88%.” Beyond safety, ATI improves the flow of commerce—“help[ing] speed up rail traffic, which means faster shipping and cheaper goods, all of which contributes to a stronger economy.”
Despite these clear benefits, Sauer argues that “administration officials have pulled the brake lever, and are now slow walking the ATI waiver.” The result, he says, is more than bureaucratic delay—it’s a missed opportunity to modernize and protect the nation’s rail system.
Unions have pushed back against the technology out of job concerns, but Sauer points out that “ATI inspections don’t replace human inspections.” In fact, because the systems identify more potential flaws, “there will likely be more jobs available for maintenance.”
As Sauer concludes, “In both physics and policy, momentum matters. It’s time for the administration to let Automatic Track Inspections deliver the safety and efficiency our nation needs.”
The choice is clear: the administration can let the train of progress sit idle—or it can get it rolling again toward a safer, more innovative future.
Read more in Townhall by clicking here.
