Standard Safety Training Rules Get a Routine Refresh for Rail Workers
Published Date: 5/15/2026
Rule
Summary
Starting July 14, 2026, railroad companies must follow clearer and updated rules for training and checking safety-related workers. This means better training, tougher qualifications, and stronger oversight to keep everyone safer on the rails. The new rule affects all safety-related railroad employees and aims to improve safety without causing big costs or delays.
Analyzed Economic Effects
9 provisions identified: 8 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Small-Entity Refresher Relief Savings
FRA estimates the final rule will provide cost savings of $1.1 million based on a one-year relief period for small entities' annual refresher training requirements. The estimate is tied to that one-year relief period to reduce administrative refresher training burdens for small railroads and contractors.
Employees Can "Test Out" of Refresher
The rule allows employees to test out of refresher training if they previously received formal training; the test must be designed to show the employee has the critical knowledge and skills and cannot rely on existing operational efficiency testing. This change adds a test-out option where appropriate.
Train Only For Authorized Tasks
Employers may limit a safety-related employee's training to only the Federal requirements relevant to the safety-related tasks the employer authorizes the employee to perform, plus any required knowledge-based training. This clarifies employers need not train employees on unrelated Federal requirements.
Refresher Training Deadline Delayed
FRA is delaying the refresher training implementation deadline for small entities by one year to December 31, 2026 (see Sec. 243.201(e)(2)). Small railroads and contractors covered as small entities will have an extra year before refresher training implementation.
Electronic Program-Only Submissions
FRA requires program submissions through its part 243 web portal and eliminates the written submission option for employers with fewer than 400,000 total employee work hours annually. Submitters must register for access to the portal.
Parent Companies Can File Programs
Parent or holding companies may submit a training program on behalf of subsidiaries if the filing describes which companies are covered and how; subsidiaries may opt out of the parent's submission in whole or in part. FRA adopted this submission approach to allow legally related companies to share programs.
Supervised OJT Before Full Qualification
An employee who is not yet fully qualified may perform tasks during on-the-job training (OJT) under direct, onsite observation of a qualified person and consistent with specified conditions, before completing all formal training. FRA clarified this to avoid implying OJT is optional.
Use Non-Employee Instructors Allowed
The rule revises the 'designated instructor' definition to specify an instructor need not be an employee; employers must ensure employee or non-employee instructors have the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to coach and mentor learners.
Old Designations Remain Valid
FRA removed outdated implementation dates from the regulation but expressly clarified that employees designated as qualified by September 1, 2020, or January 1, 2022, remain appropriately designated and the removal does not change those designations.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
Related Federal Register Documents
2026-16593, Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request
Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and its implementing regulations, FRA seeks approval of the Information Collection Request (ICR) summarized below. Before submitting this ICR to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval, FRA is soliciting public comment on specific aspects of the activities identified in the ICR.
2026-16592, Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request
Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and its implementing regulations, FRA seeks approval of the Information Collection Request (ICR) summarized below. Before submitting this ICR to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval, FRA is soliciting public comment on specific aspects of the activities identified in the ICR.
2026-15724, High-Speed Train Noise Emission Standards
This NPRM seeks to amend the noise emission regulations to address the unique noise emission characteristics of trains operating at speeds exceeding 160 miles per hour (mph). Specifically, the proposed regulation would provide an alternative standard for noise emissions from train operations exceeding 160 mph, up to 220 mph, and also provide a special approval process for noise emissions from train operations exceeding 220 mph. This alternative noise emission standard and compliance process would effectively remove an existing regulatory barrier to the railroad industry for high-speed rail operations, while continuing to protect public health and welfare. Existing noise emission limits for all train operations at speeds up to 160 mph would continue to apply, and these existing limits would remain available for demonstrating compliance at higher speeds as well.
2026-15605, Qualification and Certification of Locomotive Engineers and Conductors; English Language Proficiency and Other Requirements
FRA proposes to amend its regulations governing the qualification and certification of locomotive engineers and conductors to establish English language proficiency as a requirement for a railroad carrier to certify and recertify locomotive engineers and conductors. FRA also proposes that each railroad carrier conducting a triennial examination of skill performance, and an annual operational monitoring observation for locomotive engineers, which are current requirements, conduct those examinations and observations without engaging energy management systems that limit the need for a locomotive engineer to operate the throttle or braking systems. Further, FRA proposes to codify limitations on operations at the southern border, including a 10 route-mile geographic limitation, to ensure domestic training, testing, and certification requirements for Mexican crew members are adequate. In addition, FRA proposes changes to clarify that a locomotive engineer or conductor's territorial qualification is limited to the specific direction of travel traversed during the qualification process.
2026-14324, Notice of Petition for Amendment of Waiver of Compliance
The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association wants to add 8 more railroads to a special rule that changes work-hour limits for train workers. This affects those railroads and their employees by allowing some flexibility in hours, with safety training included. The public can share their thoughts by September 14, 2026, before any decision is made.
2026-14328, Notice of Petition for Waiver of Compliance
CSX Transportation asked the Federal Railroad Administration to let some of their long-haul trains run up to 1,785 miles before needing certain brake tests and inspections. This change affects trains on approved routes with special safety detectors and aims to keep safety strong while making operations smoother. People can share their thoughts on this by September 14, 2026.
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