On December 7, 2015, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) issued a Final Rule establishing new requirements for the operation of passenger train exterior side doors and the manufacture of such doors on new rail passenger cars and locomotives.
The Rule is based on the recommendations of the Railroad Safety Advisory Committee’s (RSAC) General Passenger Safety Task Force, and incorporates the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Standard PR–M–S–18–10, ‘‘Standard for Powered Exterior Side Door System Design for New Passenger Cars’’ (February 11, 2011). Among other requirements, the Rule mandates that: