The Federal Railroad Administration has finalized 11 deregulatory rules and deleted more than 1,000 words from the Federal Register that governs the American rail industry.
[Above photo by FRA]
Sean Duffy, secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation, said in a statement that this deregulatory effort will help spur railroad system improvements across the country by removing “outdated regulations that stifle innovation and ignore the latest safety practices,” adding that “these critical updates will enhance safety, support our great rail workforce, and enable the next wave of innovative technologies on our tracks.”
FRA noted that this deregulatory initiative – originally published in July 2025 – not only eliminates “redundant and decades-old requirements” but codifies longstanding FRA Safety Board waivers.
These deregulatory actions include:
- Removing stenciling requirements for railroad freight cars used exclusively for tourist, historic, excursion, educational, recreational, or private purposes.
- Allowing railroads to satisfy accident/incident reporting recordkeeping requirements by posting electronically a listing of all injuries and occupational illnesses at an establishment.
- Updating enforcement procedures to allow for electronic service and clarify FRA’s enforcement discretion.
- Codifying longstanding waivers that have granted relief from certain locomotive engineer and conductor certification requirements for railroads that participate in the FRA-sponsored Confidential Close Call Reporting System program.
- Codifying longstanding waivers by revising the definition of a non-traversable curb in FRA’s train horn regulation, making it possible when a curb is installed to allow highway speeds up to 45 mph.
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