The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has issued a final rule governing the safety and operations of high-speed passenger trains in the United States, paving the way for high-speed rail to operate with fewer obstacles and setting safety standards for these systems across the industry. Through the rule, the FRA has designated high-speed rail vehicles as “Tier III” passenger trains, permitted to operate at speeds of up to 220 miles per hour in areas with exclusive rights-of-way and no grade crossings. The rule also specifies a set of safety criteria for the structural and system design of high-speed passenger rail vehicles, an addition the FRA hopes will improve safety across rail systems due to improvements that will be required at grade crossings in shared rights-of-way for Tier III vehicles and their systems.

Learn more about the FRA’s new final rule here.