• Last week US DOT released a NOFO for Rail Crossing Elimination grants. With more than $1.1 billion available, eligibility under the program includes track relocation protective devices/signals/signs, other means like technology, and planning/environmental/design. Read more here.

• (Politico) The FRA is out with a new final rule that allows railroads to satisfy a federal requirement to post a list of injuries and occupational illnesses at their company through an electronic method, as opposed to having to provide a paper document on-site. AAR and ASLRRA have backed the change; labor groups opposed it. You can get further details online.

• Regardless of what November’s mid-term elections bring, Congress will look quite a bit different next year. Following on the heels of T&I Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO), the chair of the committee’s Railroad subcommittee, Rep. Daniel Webster (R-FL), has announced that he, too, will not seek reelection in November. Former Railroad subcommittee chair and current head of the aviation panel, Rep. Troy Nehls (R-TX), is also stepping aside when his current term expires, as is the ranking member of the Highways and Transit subcommittee, Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC).

• The House Transportation Committee will not hold a markup of its portion of the next surface reauthorization until mid-May, at the earliest. Chairman Graves and Ranking Member Rep. Rick Larsen (D-WA), have not reached agreement on the legislation’s top line. Larsen reportedly wants more than Graves’ range of $500 billion to $550 billion.

• (Per Bloomberg Government) The rail industry will have to lobby hard to secure guaranteed funding in a future surface transportation reauthorization like the $2 billion in grant money the Trump administration announced earlier this week, according to Rep. Dana Titus, the ranking Democrat on a House subcommittee devoted to the industry.

  “When you had guaranteed funding that put rail on kind of a level playing field with highways, those highways have always been funded that way, and railroads have the uncertainty of not having that guaranteed funding. It’s going to be very difficult to get that in the bill. Tell all those people we need that funding for rail.” - Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV) to the Coalition for America’s Gateways & Trade Corridors

FEATURE

FRA Brake System Periodic Maintenance Waiver

On April 27, 2026 FRA issued an extension to the Association of American Railroad's (AAR) waiver extending the required periodic maintenance intervals for certain brake system technologies. The waiver extension letter can be found on HERE.

CRC members who have previously requested participation and been granted inclusion in the AAR waiver under docket FRA-2005-21613 are included in this extension and will not need to submit individual requests.

As many of you are aware, these brake systems are also covered in FRA's proposed rulemaking to codify the waivers covered under docket FRA-2005-21613. This waiver extension will help maintain the extended maintenance intervals provided by the waiver until the proposed rule becomes final.

Proposed Dispatch Technology Legislation

On April 21, 2026 a bill was introduced in Congress titled the Safe Tracks Act (H.R.8410). This bill would direct FRA to amend Subpart H of 49 CFR Part 236 to include existing and any future deployment of centralized computer-aided train-dispatching systems and centralized traffic control boards.

49 CFR Part 236, Subpart H addresses “Standards for Processor-Based Signal and Train Control Systems” and was a predecessor to the Positive Train Control (PTC) requirements contained within Subpart I. This section is similar to Subpart I and contains a number of safety and security requirements that must be addressed in a risk-based Product Safety Plan (PSP), including, but not limited to safety assessment/hazard analysis, verification and validation, human-machine interface considerations, product inspection and testing, and security measures.

The inclusion of regulatory requirements for dispatch technology has been subject of discussion for a number of years, particularly after the statutory requirement for certain railroad's to implement PTC technology, as the PTC system must enforce authorities and mandatory directives entered by dispatchers in computer aided dispatch (CAD) and traffic control software.

CRC will continue to monitor this proposed bill and its potential impact on members should it be passed.

COMBATING HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN TRANSPORTATION IMPACT AWARD

The annual U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Combating Human Trafficking in Transportation Impact Awards seek to raise awareness among transportation stakeholders about human trafficking, and increase training and prevention efforts to address this crime. The awards are a component of the Department's Transportation Leaders Against Human Trafficking (TLAHT) initiative. Additional information regarding DOT's counter-trafficking efforts can be found online here.

The awards serve as a platform for transportation stakeholders to creatively develop impactful and innovative counter-trafficking tools, initiatives, campaigns, and technologies that can help prevent human trafficking. This year, entrants will compete for three cash awards: up to $100,000 for first place, up to $50,000 for second place, and up to $25,000 for third place.

Submissions will be accepted through 11:59 p.m. EST on June 22, 2026. Learn more about previous winners and view the Federal Register Notice for full details and submission instructions. 

SAVE THE DATES:

InnoTrans, Berlin, GE | September 22 – 25, 2026 
Curious? RSVP for CRC’s May 12 informational webinar HERE.

2026 Commuter Rail Summit, Ft. Worth, TX  |  November 9 – 11, 2026
Dust off you’re your hat and boots: full event details are coming soon.

WHAT WE’RE READING

• Commuter railroads' insurance struggles could disrupt operations (Yahoo!News)

• Commuters brace for potential LIRR strike as May 16 deadline looms (LI Herald Freeport)

• Railroads’ Safety Investments Showed Progress (National League of Cities)

• San Francisco Solved Metro Vandalism With One Neat Trick (The Atlantic)

• Coalition calls on DOJ to tap funds for cargo theft, retail crime prevention (Progressive Railroading)

• Advocates push for Metro-North expansion amid Amtrak lawsuit (News 10 ABC)

• NY lawmakers want Hochul to revive Metro-North Albany expansion (Times Union)

• Amtrak, New York MTA in Court Faceoff (Railway Age)

• Gateway awards $1.29B Hudson River Tunnel contract (NJBiz)

• Major VRE Upgrades at Alexandria Train Station Bring Weekend Closures, Long-Term Gains  (The Zebra - Alexandria News)

• What Does the Future of U.S. Passenger Rail Look Like? (Governing)

• $1.1B available for railroad grade-crossing safety (Smart Cities Dive)

• USDOT to invest $1.1 billion into railroad crossing infrastructure improvements (Mass Transit)

• DART braces for potential financial, service impacts of withdrawal elections this weekend (KERA News)

• TexRail extension to Fort Worth medical district to break ground by end of year (The Texan)

• U.S. Department of Transportation Hosts First-Ever Rail Tech Summit, Highlights Innovation in America’s Rail Industry (USDOT)

• Dallas Area Rapid Transit Strengthens Safety with Expanded Security Presence (Metro)

• Bill to streamline transit project permitting introduced in House (Smart Cities Dive)