On December 31, 2019 (84 FR 72526), the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) published a notice of proposed rulemaking in the federal register to revise its regulations in 49 CFR Part 213 governing the minimum safety requirements for railroad track. The proposed changes include allowing inspection of rail using continuous rail testing; allowing the use of flangebearing frogs in crossing diamonds; relaxing the guard check gage limits on heavy-point frogs used in Class 5 track; removing an inspection-method exception for high-density commuter lines; and other miscellaneous revisions. Overall, the proposed revisions would benefit track owners, railroads, and the public by reducing unnecessary costs and incentivizing innovation, while not negatively affecting rail safety. Written comments must be received by March 2, 2020. Comments received after that date will be considered to the extent possible without incurring additional expense or delay.

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FRA 12-31-2019 NPRM rail track safety standards