Railroad wants to pause safety regs for experimental train controls

2026-17904, National Environmental Policy Act Regulations

FHWA, FRA, and FTA (collectively referred to as the "Agencies") are finalizing the interim final rule (IFR) published on July 3, 2025, which revised the Agencies' National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 implementing regulations in light of the removal of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations, the amendments to NEPA included in the section of the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FR Act) of 2023, known as the Building United States Infrastructure through Limited Delays and Efficient Reviews (BUILDER) Act of 2023, amendments regarding efficient environmental reviews included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) of 2021, and the Supreme Court decision in Seven County Infrastructure Coalition. The Agencies provided a 30-day comment period for the public to review and comment on the IFR. This final rule addresses public comments received and finalizes the IFR with minor technical changes.

2026-17786, Enhancing Railroad Discretion in Sounding Locomotive Horns at Passenger Stations

This final rule amends safety standards related to the use of the locomotive horn to clarify that no Federal regulation requires a railroad to sound a locomotive horn because of the presence of a passenger station. The final rule clarifies that a railroad has discretion to determine policies for sounding a locomotive horn at a passenger station through railroad operating rules. The final rule also provides that if a railroad decides to sound a locomotive horn at a passenger station, the minimum sound level requirements in FRA's Railroad Locomotive Safety Standards do not apply to the sound produced by the horn.

2026-17787, Repealing Special Approval Requirement for Freight Cars More Than 50 Years Old

Starting September 30, 2026, railroads no longer need special approval to use freight cars over 50 years old or with certain older parts. Instead, they just have to notify the Federal Railroad Administration and provide some info, making things faster and easier. This change helps railroads save time and cut red tape without extra costs.

2026-17783, Regulatory Relief From Locomotive Horn Sounding Pattern at Public Highway-Rail Grade Crossings

Starting September 30, 2026, train engineers can switch from the old horn pattern to just one single blast when near public highway-rail crossings. This change affects all trains and locomotives stopping close to these crossings, making horn use simpler and less noisy. It’s a smart move to cut red tape without costing extra money or risking safety.

2026-17782, Regulatory Relief for End of Car Cushioning Units

This rule amends freight car draft arrangement and end-of-car cushioning unit (EOCC) regulations to make permanent relief currently provided by waiver. The amendments will allow a freight car to remain in service if the EOCC is operative and equipped with a unit condition indicator (UCI) that indicates a non-discharged EOCC. This change will permit such EOCCs to remain in service despite the presence of clearly formed oil droplets on the unit. The amendments preserve the requirement to repair or replace an EOCC with clearly formed oil droplets if the unit does not have a UCI.

2026-17784, Amendments to Brake System Maintenance and Inspection Requirements

This rule amends mechanical equipment safety standards related to brake inspections for passenger and freight rail equipment and incorporates longstanding waivers for locomotive brake system maintenance and inspection requirements. The amendments are consistent with the mandates of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which require FRA to review and analyze certain longstanding waivers to determine whether incorporating the waivers into FRA's regulations is justified, and Executive Order 14219, Ensuring Lawful Governance and Implementing the President's "Department of Government Efficiency" Deregulatory Initiative.

Previous: 2026-17777, Revision of Operations Notice for the Expansion of the Moving to Work Demonstration Program

This Notice provides revisions to the Notice entitled Operations Notice for the Expansion of the Moving to Work Demonstration Program published in the Federal Register on August 28, 2020, with technical revisions published in the Federal Register on March 20, 2025.

Next: 2026-17779, Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Regulation Agency Protests

The Department of the Treasury will submit the following information collection requests to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, on or after the date of publication of this notice. The public is invited to submit comments on these requests.