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12/19/2024
The Federal Railroad Administration has amended freight-car safety standards to implement a requirement included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 that places certain restrictions on newly built freight cars entering service in the United States.
The restrictions include limiting content that originates from a country of concern (COC) or is sourced from a state-owned enterprise (SOE). The amended standards also prohibit sensitive technology that originates from a COC or is sourced from an SOE.
The IIJA Act mandated that FRA issue a regulation to monitor and enforce the industry's compliance with the act's standards, according to the FRA's notice published today in the Federal Register.
In December 2023, the FRA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking proposing to codify a process for the FRA to monitor and enforce compliance. The rule requires railroad freight manufacturers to electronically certify to FRA that each freight car complies with the IIJA Act before that car is operating on the U.S. rail system.
Recently, the Rail Security Alliance (RSA) called on the Biden administration to implement the final rule, known by some as the SAFE TRAINS Act. The RSA represents North American freight car manufacturers and suppliers.
"We thank FRA Administrator Amit Bose and the entire agency for issuing a final rule that reflects the intent of the SAFE TRAINS Act, as well as facilitates its proper implementation," said RSA Executive Director Erik Olson in a press release. "Their work makes our freight-rail interchange safer."