On Track for Safety: Redefining Color Vision Standards in the U.S. Railway

The U.S. railway industry faces growing concerns due to an aging workforce and rising demand for skilled personnel, particularly in safety-critical roles like locomotive engineers and conductors. Recruitment efforts are further challenged by outdated color vision assessments mandated by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), which rely on tests such as Ishihara and Hardy-Rand-Ritter plates. These methods often fail to detect subtle or acquired color vision deficiencies (CVDs), overlook non-red-green variations, and do not reflect the visual demands of real-world railway environments, increasing the risk of signal misinterpretation, operational delays, and accidents. This paper reviews current federal regulations and compares railway vision testing practices with those in other safety-critical fields, such as aviation. It also explores alterative assessments such as computerized tools, virtual reality, and augmented reality to enhance diagnostic accuracy and consistency. Effective implementation will require regulatory updates, staff training, and sustained investment in research. Considerations of these advancements will allow the railway industry to better identify and manage CVDs, ultimately enhancing safety across railway operations.