Transportation Department proposes loosening train noise rules to enable high-speed rail

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced a draft rule that would relax noise-emission limits for trains traveling 160-220 mph, aiming to clear a regulatory hurdle for future high-speed rail in the United States.

Secretary Sean Duffy told reporters that the Transportation Department is moving to deregulate certain railway noise standards to make high-speed rail feasible in the United States. A proposed rule released Friday would set optional noise limits for trains running at 160-220 miles per hour, while still allowing railroads to meet current EPA caps if they choose. Duffy argued that existing decibel caps have been a major obstacle to building faster rail lines, and the new framework is designed to lure investors and partners.

Federal Railroad Administration Administrator David Fink explained that the current rules disadvantage trains whose primary noise source is aerodynamic, and the revision would address that imbalance. The proposal also outlines a special approval process for trains surpassing 220 mph and eliminates some equipment-modification requirements, projecting $100 million in cost reductions for high-speed rail projects over the next three decades.