Monday, May 10, 1999 (Washington, DC )

U.S. Transportation Secretary Rodney E. Slater today announced historic, comprehensive standards to improve the safety of America’s railroad passenger equipment.

"This is the first time in the United States that we will have comprehensive safety standards for the safety of rail passenger equipment," Secretary Slater said. "This is an important step forward, underscoring President Clinton’s commitment to safety as our highest transportation priority and making railroad passenger travel safer by enhancing the crashworthiness, fire safety and emergency escape features of passenger trains."

The final rule, which was issued by the department’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), addresses a comprehensive range of safety features. Specifically it:

* Establishes comprehensive structural safety standards for rail passenger equipment.

* Creates specific, more stringent safety standards for high-speed rail passenger equipment.

* Enhances requirements for fire safety including an evaluation of existing fleet compliance.

* Specifies requirements for passenger car emergency escape and escape features.

* Revises existing standards on the inspection, testing and maintenance of power brakes.

* Establishes new standards for the inspection and testing of mechanical components of passenger trains.

* Requires passenger railroads to undertake specific safety planning on aspects of railroad operations affecting equipment safety.

"The rule was developed in consultation with a working group comprising representatives of rail labor, Amtrak, and commuter railroads, as well as industry associations, passenger advocate groups, manufacturers and states," said FRA Administrator Jolene M. Molitoris.

The new standard will be in the Federal Register, on May 12, 1999. In September 1994, the Secretary of Transportation outlined a plan to develop new safety standards for rail passenger equipment over a five-year period and in two phases. The FRA published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking on passenger equipment safety standards in June 1996 and a notice of proposed rulemaking in September 1997. Public comment from 34 separate parties were received in response.

Molitoris said that the rule does not apply to tourist, excursion or historic railroads. Requirements for such equipment will be developed separately. The rule will apply to Amtrak, commuter railroads, and other short-haul passenger operations in metropolitan and suburban areas, except for rapid transit operations that are not connected to the general railroad system.

In 1984, the FRA issued guidelines recommending test methods and performance criteria for flammability and smoke emission characteristics of materials in passenger cars. Later updated in 1989, these guidelines have been followed voluntarily by passenger railroads. The final rule revises and codifies these earlier FRA recommendations.

The FRA is supporting the American Public Transit Association’s (APTA) development of additional voluntary industry safety standards for rail passenger equipment, and APTA ’s System Safety Program, under which passenger railroads are implementing dedicated safety plans.