Railroad Agency Asks for Comments on Routine Paperwork Collection Plans
Published Date: 3/10/2025
Notice
Summary
The Federal Railroad Administration wants your thoughts on a new info collection plan that helps them do their job better. If you’re involved with railroads or just curious, you can comment by May 9, 2025. This won’t cost you money but might change how often some paperwork is done.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Paperwork burden rises to 245,200 hours
The Federal Railroad Administration says the annual paperwork burden for railroads increased from 232,525 hours to 245,200 hours (an increase of 12,675 hours). FRA reports a total annual burden-hour dollar cost equivalent of $21,109,300 and estimates 8,913,163 annual responses from 745 railroads.
Average time per response reduced to 13.5 minutes
FRA revised Form FRA F 6180.49A and reports the average time per response decreased from 15 minutes to 13.5 minutes. Despite the per-response time reduction, overall annual burden hours increased.
Form updated for new propulsion types and brake code
FRA updated Form FRA F 6180.49A to add four propulsion technology values—Hydrogen Electric; Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engine (ICE); Battery Electric; and Natural Gas—and added Item Code 8 labeled 'Hand/Park Brake' (Hand/Park Brake 232.105(c)).
Duplicate recordkeeping burden removed for Sec. 229.317
FRA removed duplicated burden hours by determining that the recordkeeping burden reported under Sec. 229.317(b) was already accounted for under Sec. 229.317(h), and the burden was updated accordingly.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
Related Federal Register Documents
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2026-18981, Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request
The Federal Railroad Administration wants your thoughts on their plan to collect information from the public and railroad companies. They’re checking if the questions they ask are useful, clear, and not too much work. You’ve got until November 16, 2026, to share your ideas before they ask for official approval, and this won’t cost you anything but a few minutes of your time!
2026-18982, Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) wants your thoughts on a new info collection plan that helps them do their job better. If you’re involved with railroads or just curious, you can comment by November 16, 2026. This won’t cost you money but might ask for some time to share your input online.
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2026-17996, Safety Advisory 2026-01; Restricted Speed
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