Use of Locomotive Horns at Highway-Rail Grade Crossings

Forms and Documents

Document Name	Status
November 26, 2025 FR Notice (30-Day).pdf Supplementary Document	2025-11-26
Admin. Updates to use of Locomotive Horns Final Rule 07-01-2025.pdf Supplementary Document	2025-08-11
2130-0560_Locomotive Horns at Grade Crossing SJ (ROCIS).docx Supporting Statement A	2025-11-21
August 08, 2025 FR Notice (60-Day).pdf Supplementary Document	2025-08-08
49 CFR Part 222.doc Supplementary Document	2015-12-10
49 USC 20153.doc Supplementary Document	2006-08-17
P.L. 104-264.doc Supplementary Document	2006-08-17
49 CFR 1.89 -- Delegations to the Federal Railroad Administrator.pdf Supplementary Document	2022-04-05

IC Document Collections

IC ID	Document Title	Status
26501	Use of Locomotive Horns at Highway-Rail Grade Crossings	Modified

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 2130-0560	ICR Reference No: 202404-2130-002
Status: Received in OIRA	Previous ICR Reference No: 202204-2130-002
Agency/Subagency: DOT/FRA	Agency Tracking No:
Title: Use of Locomotive Horns at Highway-Rail Grade Crossings
Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular	Date Submitted to OIRA: 11/26/2025

	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	36 Months From Approved	11/30/2025
Responses	3,536	3,620
Time Burden (Hours)	7,232	7,253
Cost Burden (Dollars)	5,000	10,000

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Abstract: Under 49 CFR part 222, FRA seeks to collect information from railroads and public authorities in order to increase safety at public highway-rail grade crossings nationwide by requiring that locomotive horns be sounded when trains approach and pass through these crossings or by ensuring that a safety level at least equivalent to that provided by routine locomotive horn sounding exists for quiet zone corridors in which such horn sounding is silenced. This collection of information is collected as needed and it involves both reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

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Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 49 USC 20153
  

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

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Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

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Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	90 FR 38587	08/08/2025
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	90 FR 54454	11/26/2025
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 1

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
Use of Locomotive Horns at Highway-Rail Grade Crossings

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ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Request	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	3,536	3,620	0	0	-84	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	7,232	7,253	0	-72	51	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	5,000	10,000	0	-5,000	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Increase Due to:

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Reduction Due to: Miscellaneous Actions

Short Statement: With this submission, FRA has made program changes and adjustments that decreased the currently approved burden hours from 7,253 to 7,232 hours and decreased the number of responses from 3,620 to 3,536. This decrease in burden, after a thorough review, is the result of the changes described in the sections summarized below: As noted in question no. 3, FRA published a final rule on July 1, 2025, titled Administrative Updates to the Use of Locomotive Horns at Public Highway-Rail Grade Crossings Regulations. With this final rule, FRA has removed certified mail notification requirements and now allows electronic submittal of applications and notifications to other parties (and requires electronic service for submittals to FRA’s Grade Crossing and Trespasser Outreach Division). The estimated burdens for §§ 222.39, 222.43, 222.47, and 222.51 have been updated accordingly, decreasing burdens by 72 hours. Under § 222.51(c), which describes the process for reviewing the status of any quiet zone, FRA determined that the burden previously reported for public comments should be excluded because the submission of public comments in response to a Federal Register notice falls outside the PRA’s definition of information under 5 CFR 1320.3(h)(4). Accordingly, FRA is removing the burden previously attributed to public comments from interested parties during FRA’s review of the status of any quiet zone. Under § 222.55(b) and (d), which describe how interested parties may apply for approval from the Associate Administrator to demonstrate proposed new supplementary or alternative safety measures (SSMs/ASMs), FRA adjusted the burden estimates to reflect the number of hours and estimated average time required to compose the written request, increasing the burden by 40 hours. The increased burden hours reflect additional time needed, after the demonstration of proposed SSMs or ASMs, to gather all the necessary documentation and prepare the written application with the required information that must be included pursuant to § 222.55(d)(1) through (5). Lastly, under § 222.57(c) (which establishes procedures for how parties can seek reconsideration of an Associate Administrator decision to terminate a quiet zone) and § 222.57(d) (which establishes procedures for railroads to request reconsideration of an Associate Administrator decision to approve an application for approval of a proposed quiet zone), FRA determined that the estimated burden hours were not included in the previously reported burden. Accordingly, FRA has corrected the oversight by adding 9 burden hours. Overall, program changes and adjustments decreased the total burden hours for this submission by 21 hours.

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $565,201

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

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Common Form ICR:  No

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On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).

The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:

(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;

(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;

(c) It reduces burden on small entities;

(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;

(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;

(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;

(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:

(i) Why the information is being collected;

(ii) Use of information;

(iii) Burden estimate;

(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);

(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and

(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;

(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.

(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and

(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.

If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.

Certification Date: 11/26/2025

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