Railroad Locomotive Safety Standards and Event Recorders

Forms and Documents

Document Name	Status
Form FRA F 6180.49A Railroad Locomotive Safety Standards and Event Recorders Form and Instruction	Modified
May 16, 2025 FR Notice (30-Day).pdf Supplementary Document	2025-05-19
March 10, 2025 FR Notice (60-Day).pdf Supplementary Document	2025-05-19
2130-0004_RR Locomotive Safety Standards SJ (05-19-2025).docx Supporting Statement A	2025-05-19
AAR FRA MEETING SUMMARY 10.14.2021.pdf Supplementary Document	2021-12-07
49 CFR 229.doc Supplementary Document	2015-09-21
49USC20703.doc Supplementary Document	2012-03-30
49 U.S.C. 20702.doc Supplementary Document	2012-03-30
49USC20701.doc Supplementary Document	2012-03-30
49 CFR 1.49 (4-10).doc Supplementary Document	2011-08-22
49 U.S.C. 20103.wpd Supplementary Document	2011-08-22
P.L. 100-342 (Sec. 10 & Sec. 21).doc Supplementary Document	2008-05-07

IC Document Collections

IC ID	Document Title	Status
26362	Railroad Locomotive Safety Standards and Event Recorders Form and Instruction	Modified

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 2130-0004	ICR Reference No: 202505-2130-001
Status: Received in OIRA	Previous ICR Reference No: 202110-2130-001
Agency/Subagency: DOT/FRA	Agency Tracking No:
Title: Railroad Locomotive Safety Standards and Event Recorders
Type of Information Collection: Reinstatement with change of a previously approved collection	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular	Date Submitted to OIRA: 05/19/2025

	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	36 Months From Approved
Responses	8,913,163	0
Time Burden (Hours)	245,200	0
Cost Burden (Dollars)	83,365	0

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Abstract: The Locomotive Inspection Act requires railroads to inspect, repair, and maintain locomotives and event recorders so that they are safe, free from defects, and can be placed in service without peril to life. Crashworthy locomotive event recorders provide FRA with verifiable factual information about how trains are maintained and operated, and will be used by FRA and State inspectors for Part 229 rule enforcement. This collection of information is mandatory, and affects Class I, Class II, Class III, and passenger and commuter railroads operating on the general system of transportation in the United States. The required information is collected daily, quarterly, annually, and on occasion. Information collected includes both reporting and record keeping information, data about locomotives not complying with the requirements of this Part, data about remote control locomotives, accident reports, locomotive daily inspection and repair records, written reports about Multiple Unit (MU) locomotives, and readout information from locomotive event recorders. FRA uses the information collected to monitor and enforce the requirements of this Part, particularly to monitor the daily operations of trains and ensure that locomotives placed in service are safe to operate and undergo the required daily, periodic, and annual inspections. The information collected is also used by railroads and train crews to monitor train handling and improve safety on an ongoing basis.

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Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 49 USC 20701-20703 Name of Law: Federal Rairload Safety Act
  

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

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Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

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Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	90 FR 11644	03/10/2025
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	90 FR 21108	05/16/2025
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 1

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
Railroad Locomotive Safety Standards and Event Recorders	FRA F 6180.49A, FRA F 6180.49A	Locomotive Inspection and Repair Record ,   Locomotive Inspection and Repair Record

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ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Request	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	8,913,163	0	0	0	83,860	8,829,303
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	245,200	0	0	0	12,675	232,525
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	83,365	0	0	0	21,015	62,350

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Increase Due to:

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: This is a reinstatement with change of a previously approved collection of information. The current OMB inventory for this information collection shows a total burden of 232,525 hours and 8,829,303 responses, while the requesting inventory estimates a total burden of 245,200 hours and 8,913,163 responses. Overall, the burden for this submission has increased by 12,675 hours and increased by 83,860 responses. While the edits to FRA F 6180.49A reduced the average time per response from 15 minutes to 13.5 minutes, the overall burden increased by 12,675 hours. This is due to the aging fleet, a reduction of repair shops and optimization of their services. Furthermore, an increase in remote control locomotives, passenger and commuter services also significantly increased the annual number of periodic inspections being performed. For example, the increase in the number of non-passenger and passenger locomotives, which directly increases the number of periodic inspections, accounts for 85% of the annual burden hour increase. Similarly, the increased use of event recorders and the required inspections increased the annual burden by approximately 8%. Finally, FRA determined that the burden reported under 229.317(b) is a recordkeeping requirement that is already accounted for under 229.317(h). The recordkeeping requirement for refresher training is now also included under (h).

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $115,469

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

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Common Form ICR:  No

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On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).

The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:

(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;

(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;

(c) It reduces burden on small entities;

(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;

(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;

(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;

(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:

(i) Why the information is being collected;

(ii) Use of information;

(iii) Burden estimate;

(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);

(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and

(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;

(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.

(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and

(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.

If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.

Certification Date: 05/19/2025

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