# 2025-12104: FRA Scraps Antiquated Safety Rules to Streamline Railroad Worker Training

2025-12104, Repealing Outdated Railroad Workplace Safety Requirements and Making Other Improvements, is a Federal Register proposed rule from Transportation Department, Federal Railroad Administration published 2025-07-01 (as of 2026-06-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-12104
- As of: 2026-06-11
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2025-12104
- Title: Repealing Outdated Railroad Workplace Safety Requirements and Making Other Improvements
- Type: Proposed Rule
- Agencies: Transportation Department; Federal Railroad Administration
- Citation: 90 FR 28629
- Published: 2025-07-01
- Effective: unknown
- Comments close: not stated
- Significant: no
- Touches household money: no
- Regulation identifier numbers: 2130-AD44
- Last updated: 2026-06-11

## In one line

FRA Scraps Antiquated Safety Rules to Streamline Railroad Worker Training

## Summary

The FRA is scrapping old railroad safety rules that no longer make sense and adding a new way for companies to get special approval for safer bridge work. They’re also making sure workers who operate cranes on maintenance machines get the right training to keep things safe. These changes help rail workers stay safe without slowing down work or adding extra costs.

## Abstract

FRA proposes to repeal several roadway workplace safety requirements that have become obsolete. In addition, FRA proposes to establish a new special approval procedure to enable regulated entities, after public notice and FRA approval, to utilize an alternative approach to bridge worker safety that provides for an equivalent or better level of safety. Also, this rule proposes to clarify that the required training for operators of roadway maintenance machines equipped with a crane includes specific aspects such as maintaining vertical clearance.

## Effects PRIA read

- Repeal of Obsolete Track Safety Rules: benefit, low. The FRA proposes to repeal several roadway workplace safety requirements that it says are obsolete. If you work on or around railroad roadways, this rule change removes those outdated requirements while the FRA intends to keep safety protections in place.
- New Special Approval for Bridge Safety Approaches: benefit, low. The FRA proposes a new special approval procedure that lets regulated entities use an alternative approach to bridge worker safety after public notice and FRA approval, as long as it provides equivalent or better safety. If you operate a regulated railroad entity, this creates a formal route to get…
- Clarified Crane Operator Training Requirement: benefit, low. The FRA proposes to clarify that required training for operators of roadway maintenance machines with a crane includes specific topics such as maintaining vertical clearance. If you operate those machines, your required training would explicitly cover vertical-clearance safety.

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- [2026-18981](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-18981): Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request, 2026-09-16
- [2026-18982](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-18982): Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request, 2026-09-16
- [2026-18986](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-18986): Surface Transportation Project Delivery Program; Ohio Department of Transportation Audit Report, 2026-09-16
- [2026-17996](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-17996): Safety Advisory 2026-01; Restricted Speed, 2026-09-03

## Sources
- [2025-12104 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/07/01/2025-12104/repealing-outdated-railroad-workplace-safety-requirements-and-making-other-improvements)
- [2025-12104 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2025-07-01/pdf/2025-12104.pdf)

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- [Next: 2025-12117, Pipeline Safety: Atmospheric Corrosion Reassessment for Pipeline Replacements](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-12117)
- [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-12104 (as of 2026-06-11).