. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/USA/211 
30 August 2006 
 (06-4128) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
The following notification is being circ ulated in accordance with Article 10.6. 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   UNITED STATES
 
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):         
2. Agency responsible:   Federal Railroad Administration,  Department of Transportation 
(FRA, DOT) (219) 
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and web-site 
addresses, if available) of  agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be  indicated if different from above:         
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [  X ], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other:         
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading. 
ICS numbers may be provided in  addition, where applicable):   Passenger train 
emergency systems (HS: 8530, 8605, 8608;  ICS: 13, 45) 
5. Title, number of pages and langu age(s) of the notified document:   Passenger Train 
Emergency Systems  (38 pages, in English) 
6. Description of content:   This Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) is intended to 
further the safety of passenger train occupants through both enhancements and additions to 
FRA's existing requirements for emergency systems on passenger trains.  In this NPRM, FRA proposes to enhance existing requirement s for emergency window exits and to 
establish requirements for rescue access window s to evacuate passenger train occupants. 
FRA also proposes to enhance passenger train emergency system requirements by 
expanding the application of requirements that  are currently applicable only to passenger 
trains operating at speeds in excess of 125 mph (Tier II passenger trains) to passenger trains 
operating at speeds at or below 125 mph (T ier I passenger trains); these proposed 
enhancements would require that Tier I passe nger trains be equippe d with public address 
and intercom systems for emergency communication and that passenger cars provide 
emergency roof access for use by emergency r esponders.  FRA is proposing to apply certain 
of the requirements to both existing and new p assenger equipment, while other requirements 
would apply to new passenger equipment only. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:  
Protection of human life and health 
8. Relevant documents:   71 Federal Register (FR) 50275 24 August 2006; Title 49 Code of 
Federal Regulations (CFR) Part s 223 and 238.  Will appear in the Federal Register when 
adopted. G/TBT/N/USA/211 
Page 2  
 
  9. Proposed date of adoption:   
Proposed date of entry into force:   }To be determined 
10. Final date for comments:   23 October 2006 
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [  X ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresses, if available of the other body:   
Internet URLs: 
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/24 22/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/06-
7099.htm 
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/24 22/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/
06-7099.pdf