On December 13, 2017 (82 FR 58582), the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration n (PHMSA) published a notice in the federal register announcing they have determined the HM-251 Final Rule’s electronically controlled pneumatic (ECP) brake requirements are not economically justified (the expected benefits do not exceed the expected costs), so both the PHMSA and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) will initiate a rulemaking to rescind the necessary regulatory provisions.The HM-251 Final Rule was published on May 8, 2015 (80 FR 26643) which adopted requirements intended to reduce the consequences and, in some instances, reduce the probability of accidents involving trains transporting large quantities of flammable liquids. The Final Rule defined certain trains transporting large volumes of flammable liquids as high-hazard flammable trains (HHFT) and others as high-hazard flammable unit trains (HHFUT). The Final Rule required HHFUTs transporting at least one flammable liquid classified as a packing group I material be operated with an ECP braking system by January 1, 2021, and all other HHFUTs be operated with an ECP braking system by May 1, 2023.

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PHMSA 12-13-2017 rescind May 8-2015 FRA train brake final rule