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Next month, new hours-of-service laws mandated by the Rail Safety Improvement Act will take effect for certain freight railroad workers, including operating crews.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has published a series of interpretations explaining how the agency will enforce the new laws, which are designed to address fatigue. To take effect on July 16, the laws will increase the amount of off-duty time required between shifts and prohibit a railroad from interrupting that time; cap the number of service and limbo-time hours; and set mandatory days off when an employee works six or more consecutive days.

The FRA has asked interested parties to comment on its interpretations. Several rail labor unions are reviewing them and plan to file comments.

Meanwhile, the governing bodies of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division’s (BMWED) Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe and Frisco federations recently finalized a merger.

The newly formed federation will be named the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Frisco System Federation and represent more than 3,000 BMWED members at BNSF Railway Co. and a number of short lines. The federation will maintain offices in Newton, Kan., and Tulsa, Okla.

The governing bodies elected Richard Sandlin general chairman to head the new federation.