Notice2021-16440
Petition for Approval Extension: Norfolk Southern Railway Company
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
August 2, 2021
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Railroad Administration
Abstract
This document provides the public notice that on July 19, 2021, Norfolk Southern Railway Company (NS) petitioned the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to extend an existing temporary suspension of some visual track inspections to allow for a continuation of a previously approved Test Program designed to test track inspection technologies (i.e., an autonomous track geometry measurement system) and new operational approaches to track inspections (i.e., combinations of autonomous inspection and traditional visual inspections).
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 145 (Monday, August 2, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 145 (Monday, August 2, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Page 41536]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-16440]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket No. FRA-2019-0099]
Petition for Approval Extension: Norfolk Southern Railway Company
AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of petition for extension of approval of track
inspection test program.
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SUMMARY: This document provides the public notice that on July 19,
2021, Norfolk Southern Railway Company (NS) petitioned the Federal
Railroad Administration (FRA) to extend an existing temporary
suspension of some visual track inspections to allow for a continuation
of a previously approved Test Program designed to test track inspection
technologies (i.e., an autonomous track geometry measurement system)
and new operational approaches to track inspections (i.e., combinations
of autonomous inspection and traditional visual inspections).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Yu-Jiang Zhang, Staff Director, Track
and Structures Division, at (202) 493-6460 or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#324b47585b535c551c485a535c5572565d461c555d44"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="fc858996959d929bd286949d929bbc989388d29b938a">[email protected]</span></a>; or
Aaron Moore, Attorney, Office of the Chief Counsel, at (202) 493-7009
or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#9effffecf1f0b0f3f1f1ecfbdefaf1eab0f9f1e8"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="533232213c3d7d3e3c3c213613373c277d343c25">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On January 27, 2020, FRA conditionally
approved the Test Program and NS's petition under 49 CFR 211.51 to
suspend Sec. Sec. 213.233(b)(3) and 213.233(c) as applied to
operations under the Test Program. A copy of the Test Program, FRA's
conditional approval of the Test Program, and a previously published
Federal Register notice explaining FRA's rationale for approving the
Test Program and related suspension are available for review in the
docket.\1\
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\1\ <a href="https://www.regulations.gov/document/FRA-2019-0099-0003">https://www.regulations.gov/document/FRA-2019-0099-0003</a>
(Test Program); <a href="https://www.regulations.gov/document/FRA-2019-0099-0001">https://www.regulations.gov/document/FRA-2019-0099-0001</a> (FRA's approval decision); <a href="https://www.regulations.gov/document/FRA-2019-0099-0004">https://www.regulations.gov/document/FRA-2019-0099-0004</a> (FRA's published notice of approval).
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As approved, the Test Program included three separate phases over
12 months as outlined in Exhibit C of the Program.\2\ Accordingly, NS
began the Test Program on March 16, 2020. However, FRA has approved
extending the Test Program twice as requested by NS. Thus, the Test
Program is currently set to expire on September 31, 2021.
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\2\ See <a href="https://www.regulations.gov/document/FRA-2019-0099-0003">https://www.regulations.gov/document/FRA-2019-0099-0003</a>.
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On March 22, 2021, NS submitted a waiver petition \3\ to permit a
reduced frequency of manual track inspections where an automated track
geometry measurement system (ATGMS) is used at specific frequencies.
The petition, which is similar to and based on information collected by
Norfolk Southern during the Test Program, is pending FRA review.
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\3\ <a href="https://www.regulations.gov/document/FRA-2021-0044-0001">https://www.regulations.gov/document/FRA-2021-0044-0001</a>.
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NS is requesting to extend the Test Program until FRA issues a
decision on the pending waiver petition or December 31, 2021, whichever
is later. In support of its request, NS states that it will continue to
comply with all other conditions and requirements of FRA's January 27,
2020, approval letter.
A copy of the petition, as well as any written communications
concerning the petition, if any, are available for review online at
<a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a>.
Interested parties are invited to participate in these proceedings
by submitting written views, data, or comments.
All communications concerning these proceedings should identify the
appropriate docket number and may be submitted by any of the following
methods:
<bullet> Website: <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>. Follow the online
instructions for submitting comments.
Communications received by September 7, 2021 will be considered by
FRA before final action is taken. Comments received after that date
will be considered if practicable. Anyone can search the electronic
form of any written communications and comments received into any of
our dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment (or
signing the document, if submitted on behalf of an association,
business, labor union, etc.). Under 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits
comments from the public to better inform its processes. DOT posts
these comments, without edit, including any personal information the
commenter provides, to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a>, as described in the system
of records notice (DOT/ALL-14 FDMS), which can be reviewed at <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/privacy">https://www.transportation.gov/privacy</a>. See also <a href="https://www.regulations.gov/privacy-notice">https://www.regulations.gov/privacy-notice</a> for the privacy notice of <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a>.
Issued in Washington, DC.
John Karl Alexy,
Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety, Chief Safety Officer.
[FR Doc. 2021-16440 Filed 7-30-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P
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