Statement of Agency Policy Concerning Jurisdiction Over the Safety of Railroad Passenger Operations and Waivers Related to Shared Use of the Tracks of the General Railroad System by Light Rail and Conventional Equipment

FRA and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) have jointly developed a policy concerning safety issues related to light rail transit operations that share use of the general railroad system track with conventional trains. That policy, published elsewhere in today's Federal Register, describes how the two agencies will coordinate use of their respective safety authorities over shared track operations. FRA is issuing its own separate policy statement to describe the extent of its statutory jurisdiction over railroad passenger operations (which covers all railroads except urban rapid transit operations not connected to the general railroad system) and explain how it will exercise that jurisdiction. The statement also explains FRA's waiver process and discusses factors that should be addressed in any petition submitted by light rail operators and other railroads seeking approval of shared use of general railroad system track.