Notice2021-21337
Railroads' Requests To Amend Their Positive Train Control Safety Plans and Positive Train Control Systems
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
October 1, 2021
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Railroad Administration
Abstract
This document provides the public with notice that three host railroads recently submitted requests for amendments (RFA) to their FRA-approved Positive Train Control Safety Plans (PTCSP). As these RFAs may involve requests for FRA's approval of proposed material modifications to FRA-certified positive train control (PTC) systems, FRA is publishing this notice and inviting public comment on railroads' RFAs to their PTCSPs.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 188 (Friday, October 1, 2021)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 188 (Friday, October 1, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54507-54508]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-21337]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket Numbers FRA-2010-0044, FRA-2011-0104, and FRA-2018-0012]
Railroads' Requests To Amend Their Positive Train Control Safety
Plans and Positive Train Control Systems
AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This document provides the public with notice that three host
railroads recently submitted requests for amendments (RFA) to their
FRA-approved Positive Train Control Safety Plans (PTCSP). As these RFAs
may involve requests for FRA's approval of proposed material
modifications to FRA-certified positive train control (PTC) systems,
FRA is publishing this notice and inviting public comment on railroads'
RFAs to their PTCSPs.
DATES: FRA will consider comments received by October 21, 2021. FRA may
consider comments received after that date to the extent practicable
and without delaying implementation of valuable or necessary
modifications to PTC systems.
ADDRESSES:
Comments: Comments may be submitted by going to <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> and following the online instructions for
submitting comments.
Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and the
applicable docket number. The relevant PTC docket numbers for the host
railroads that filed RFAs to their PTCSPs are cited above and in the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice. For convenience, all
active PTC dockets are hyperlinked on FRA's website at <a href="https://railroads.dot.gov/train-control/ptc/ptc-annual-and-quarterly-reports">https://railroads.dot.gov/train-control/ptc/ptc-annual-and-quarterly-reports</a>.
All comments received will be posted without change to <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>; this includes any personal information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gabe Neal, Staff Director, Signal,
Train Control, and Crossings Division, telephone: 816-516-7168, email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#296e484b4c07674c4845694d465d074e465f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="43042221266d0d26222f03272c376d242c35">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In general, Title 49 United States Code
(U.S.C.) Section 20157(h) requires FRA to certify that a host
railroad's PTC system complies with 49 CFR part 236, subpart I, before
the technology may be operated in revenue service. Before making
certain changes to an FRA-certified PTC system or the associated FRA-
approved PTCSP, a host railroad must submit, and obtain FRA's approval
of, an RFA to its PTCSP under Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations
(CFR) Section 236.1021.
Under 49 CFR 236.1021(e), FRA's regulations provide that FRA will
publish a notice in the Federal Register and invite public comment in
accordance with 49 CFR part 211, if an RFA includes a request for
approval of a material modification of a signal and
[[Page 54508]]
train control system. Accordingly, this notice informs the public that
host railroads' recent RFAs to their PTCSPs are available in their
respective public PTC dockets, and this notice provides an opportunity
for public comment on these RFAs.
On September 21, 2021, the following three host railroads jointly
submitted an RFA to their respective PTCSPs for their Interoperable
Electronic Train Management Systems (I-ETMS): Central Florida Rail
Corridor (CFRC), TEXRail (TEX), and Trinity Railway Express (TRE).
Their joint RFA is available in Docket Numbers FRA-2010-0044, FRA-2011-
0104, and FRA-2018-0012.
Interested parties are invited to comment on any RFAs to railroads'
PTCSPs by submitting written comments or data. During FRA's review of
railroads' RFAs, FRA will consider any comments or data submitted
within the timeline specified in this notice and to the extent
practicable, without delaying implementation of valuable or necessary
modifications to PTC systems. See 49 CFR 236.1021; see also 49 CFR
236.1011(e). Under 49 CFR 236.1021, FRA maintains the authority to
approve, approve with conditions, or deny railroads' RFAs to their
PTCSPs at FRA's sole discretion.
Privacy Act Notice
In accordance with 49 CFR 211.3, FRA solicits comments from the
public to better inform its decisions. DOT posts these comments,
without edit, including any personal information the commenter
provides, to <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://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 <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>. To facilitate
comment tracking, we encourage commenters to provide their name, or the
name of their organization; however, submission of names is completely
optional. If you wish to provide comments containing proprietary or
confidential information, please contact FRA for alternate submission
instructions.
Issued in Washington, DC.
Carolyn R. Hayward-Williams,
Director, Office of Railroad Systems and Technology.
[FR Doc. 2021-21337 Filed 9-30-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on October 1, 2021.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.