ATLANTA, Ga. — A federal appeals court on Tuesday (Aug. 11) upheld the two-person crew requirement established by the Federal Railroad Administration, turning down industry arguments that the rule adopted in 2024 was arbitrary and capricious and represented regulatory overreach. The International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers-Transportation Division — which was granted status to take part in the case — hailed the ruling as “a major victory for railroad safety.” The court found the rule fell within the FRA’s general rulemaking authority, and the “as necessary” language implies discretion to act. Noting that the 2019 decision withdrawing a two-person rule was struck down by a lower court, the decision says the court does not see “how a judicially invalidated action leaves anything that constitutes agency policy.” “Nothing in this statute poses an impediment to the Crew Size Rule,” the court says.