G/TBT/N/USA/1692  
20 January 2021  
(21-0607) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member:  UNITED STATES OF AMERICA   
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:  Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) [1721]  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated i f different from above:   
Please submit comments to: USA WTO TBT Enquiry Point, Email: usatbtep@nist.gov  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [X], 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):  Brake 
system safety; Quality (ICS 03.120), Mechanical testing (ICS 19.060), Railway rolling 
stock (ICS 45.060)  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Amendments to 
Brake System Safety Standards Governing Operations Using an Electronic Air Brake Slip 
System (20 page(s), in English)  
6. Description of content:  Notice of proposed rulemaking - FRA proposes to amend its 
brake system safety standards to address operations using an electronic air brake slip 
(eABS) system, which is a system that tracks details related to individual freight car brake 
tests. The proposed rule would provide an alternative regulatory framewo rk for railroads 
to utilize when choosing to use an eABS system, but would not require railroads to use 
such a system. The NPRM proposes to extend the distance certain individual rail cars may 
travel (from 1,500 to 2,500 miles) without stopping for brake a nd mechanical tests, if the 
cars have a valid eABS record. The NPRM also proposes to allow railroads to add or remove 
multiple cars from a train without conducting additional brake tests, if the train is solely 
made up of cars with eABS records.  
7. Object ive and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  Protection of human health or safety; Quality requirements  
8. Relevant documents:   
86 Federal Register (FR) 3957, 15 January 2020; Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations 
(CFR) Part 232:  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2021-01-15/html/2020 -28870.htm  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2021-01-15/pdf/2020 -28870.pdf  
This notice of proposed rulemaking is identified by Docket Number FRA -2019-0072. The 
Docket Folder is available on Regulations.gov at 
https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=FRA -2019-0072 and provides access to primary 
and other   documents as well as comments received. Documents are also accessible from G/TBT/N/USA/1692  
 
- 2 - 
 
  Regulations.gov  by searching the Docket Number. WTO Members and their stakeholders 
are asked to submit comments to the USA TBT Enquiry Point . Comments received by the 
USA TBT Enquiry Point fr om WTO Members and their stakeholders will be shared with the 
regulator and will also be submitted to the Docket  on Regulations.gov if received within 
the comment period.  
A notice of proposed rulemaking and final rule, "Miscellaneous Amendments to Brake 
System Safety Standards and Codification of Waivers" were notified under the 
symbol  G/TBT/N/USA/1568  and may be of interest and/or relevant to this 15 January 
2021 notice of proposed rulemaking.   The previously notified actions are identified by 
Docket Number FRA -2018-0093. The Docket Folder is available on Regulations.gov 
at https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=FRA -2018-0093 and provides access to 
primary documents as well as comments received. Documents are also accessible from 
Regulations.gov  by searching the Docket Number.  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determined  
Proposed date of entry into force:  To be determined  
10. Final date for comments:  16 March 2021  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body:   
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2021/TBT/USA/21_0527_00_e.pdf