FRA finalizes railroad accident reporting rules, modernizing Part 225

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), has adopted final rules modernizing its railroad accident reporting regulations under 49 CFR Part 225. The rules, published in the Federal Register of Monday, August 31, 2026 (Vol. 91, No. 167, Rules and Regulations), take effect on September 30, 2026, and apply to all U.S. railroads and rail labor.

The package comprises two final rules: Miscellaneous Amendments to FRA’s Accident Reporting Regulations (Docket No. FRA–2025–0123, RIN 2130–AD58) and Retiring Form FRA F 6180.107 and Form FRA F 6180.150 (Docket No. FRA–2025–0124, RIN 2130–AD59). Both were signed by David A. Fink, FRA Administrator, and issued under authority delegated in 49 CFR 1.89.

Electronic submission and streamlined definitions

The miscellaneous amendments promote the submission of documents to FRA electronically, eliminate redundant regulations, and give railroads additional time to complete certain forms. FRA also revised the definition of “railroad” and removed the duplicative term “railroad carrier,” which it said had the same meaning for purposes of Part 225.

The three labor organizations that commented — the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET), the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers–Transportation Division (SMART–TD), and the Transportation Trades Department, AFL–CIO (TTD) — opposed the changes, warning they could reduce transparency and undermine worker protections. FRA rejected those concerns, concluding the changes maintain the status quo and create no new conflict with the Railway Labor Act.

Two rarely-used forms retired

The second rule retires two forms that FRA found imposed administrative burden without a meaningful safety benefit:

• Form FRA F 6180.107, “Alternative Record for Illnesses Claimed to be Work-Related”
• Form FRA F 6180.150, “Highway User Injury Inquiry Form”

The Association of American Railroads (AAR), the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) (in a joint comment), and the Fort Worth & Western Railroad (FWWR) supported the retirements, calling the forms rarely used and burdensome. BLET and SMART–TD opposed them, arguing the forms still provide valuable safety data. FRA proceeded with the retirements, noting that railroads may continue using a variation of Form 6180.107 voluntarily and that highway-rail grade crossing accidents remain reportable on Form FRA F 6180.57.

Longer retention and clearer deadlines

The rules extend the record retention period for most accident reporting forms to three years after the end of the calendar year to which they relate, and change the deadline for completing certain forms from “seven working days” to 15 calendar days to remove ambiguity over how working days are calculated. FRA also reduced its review period for consolidated reporting requests from 90 to 60 days.

The changes are part of FRA’s deregulatory review of 49 CFR parts 200 through 299 under Executive Order 14192 (Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation) and Executive Order 14219, repealing requirements that are outdated and redundant. FRA determined the rules impose no additional burdens on regulated entities and will have total costs less than zero.

For railroads and rail labor alike, the rules modernize how accident and injury data are collected and retained, cutting paperwork while keeping the safety information FRA relies on for audits and trend analysis. The agency said the electronic submission and longer retention periods will expedite delivery of documents and reduce the costs of printing, mailing, and processing.

Source: Federal Register, Vol. 91, No. 167, Monday, August 31, 2026, Rules and Regulations, pp. 55767 and 55771 (official references: FR Doc. 2026–17791 and FR Doc. 2026–17790).