FRA to reestablish rail safety advisory panel

The Federal Railroad Administration has announced the reestablishment of the Railroad Safety Advisory Committee's (RSAC) charter, according to a notice in today's Federal Register.

The committee, established by the U.S. transportation secretary in accordance with the Federal Advisory Act, provides information, advice and recommendations on rail safety matters to the FRA administrator. The charter will be renewed for two years, according to the notice.

The renewal follows a U.S. Department of Transportation decision in August 2025 to disband the rail safety panel and 24 other advisory panels. The Transportation Trades Division (TTD) of the AFL-CIO, an umbrella group representing railroad labor unions, said at the time that it was alarmed by that decision due to the potential impact on rail safety.

Today, TTD leaders said they welcome the rail safety panel's return.

"Since the moment this committee was disbanded, we have staunchly advocated for its return and the full reinstatement of labor representatives, who served as an important counterweight to industry members on the committee," the TTD officials said in a statement.

The FRA established RSAC in 1996 as a Federal Advisory Committee Act forum for collaborative rulemaking and program development. RSAC includes representatives from all the agency’s major stakeholder groups, including railroads, labor organizations, suppliers and manufacturers.