Federal Railroad Administration FRA

The Federal Railroad Administration was created by the Department of Transportation Act of October 15, 1966, and began operating with the new department in April 1967. The Federal Railroad Safety Act of 1970 gave it broad authority to regulate all aspects of rail safety. Economic regulation of railroads, such as rates and mergers, belongs instead to the independent Surface Transportation Board. It is led by an Administrator confirmed by the Senate.

FRA sets and enforces rules on track, signals, equipment, hazardous materials, operating practices, and crew hours, using federal inspectors along with state partners. After a commuter train collided with a freight train in Chatsworth, California, on September 12, 2008, killing 25 people, Congress required positive train control, technology that automatically stops trains to prevent collisions, which was installed on required lines by the end of 2020. FRA also distributes grants to Amtrak and states for intercity passenger rail and rail infrastructure, greatly expanded by the 2021 infrastructure law.

The February 3, 2023, derailment of a freight train carrying hazardous chemicals in East Palestine, Ohio, led to bipartisan proposals for stricter rules on crew size and hazmat trains, most of which stalled in Congress. In July 2025 the administration canceled roughly $4 billion in federal grants for California's high-speed rail project, citing cost overruns and delays. Supporters said the project had failed to deliver, while California officials sued and argued that the cancellation was unlawful and politically motivated. In December 2025 the state dropped its lawsuit and said it would rely on state cap-and-trade funds and private investment instead.