Notice2021-23721
Safety Advisory 21-1; Fleet-Wide Inspection of Wheel Gauging on Rail Rolling Stock
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
November 1, 2021
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Transit Administration
Abstract
As a result of the derailment of a Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Metrorail train on October 12, 2021, FTA has issued Safety Advisory 21-1 to direct State Safety Oversight Agencies (SSOAs) to report information to FTA regarding out-of-tolerance wheel gauges on all rail transit rolling stock in revenue service. The Safety Advisory also advises SSOAs to require fleet-wide inspections of wheel gauges at rail fixed guideway public transportation systems (RTAs) in their jurisdiction. A copy of Safety Advisory 21-1 can be found on the FTA website at https://www.transit.dot.gov/regulations-and-guidance/ safety/fta-safety-advisories.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 208 (Monday, November 1, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 208 (Monday, November 1, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60331-60332]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-23721]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
Safety Advisory 21-1; Fleet-Wide Inspection of Wheel Gauging on
Rail Rolling Stock
AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of Safety Advisory.
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SUMMARY: As a result of the derailment of a Washington Metropolitan
Area Transit Authority Metrorail train on October 12, 2021, FTA has
issued Safety Advisory 21-1 to direct State Safety Oversight Agencies
(SSOAs) to report information to FTA regarding out-of-tolerance wheel
gauges on all rail transit rolling stock in revenue service. The Safety
Advisory also advises SSOAs to require fleet-wide inspections of wheel
gauges at rail fixed guideway public transportation systems (RTAs) in
their jurisdiction. A copy of Safety Advisory 21-1 can be found on the
FTA website at <a href="https://www.transit.dot.gov/regulations-and-guidance/safety/fta-safety-advisories">https://www.transit.dot.gov/regulations-and-guidance/safety/fta-safety-advisories</a>.
DATES: FTA is requesting SSOA program managers to submit data on the
rail transit fleets in revenue service at each RTA in its jurisdiction
by December 1, 2021 and to report on the results of wheel gauge
inspections conducted by each RTA in its jurisdiction by January 3,
2022.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gail Lyssy, Acting Associate
Administrator for Transit Safety and Oversight and Chief Safety
Officer, FTA, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590,
telephone (202) 366-1783 or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#6b0c0a02074507121818122b0f041f450c041d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="97f0f6fefbb9fbeee4e4eed7f3f8e3b9f0f8e1">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On October 12, 2021, at about 4:50 p.m. local time, outbound
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) Metrorail train
407 derailed between the Rosslyn and Arlington Cemetery stations. The
train was traveling southbound on track No. 2 of WMATA's Blue Line
toward Franconia-Springfield with 187 passengers onboard. The National
Transportation Safety Board is investigating this safety event,
focusing on the pressed wheel/axle interface and widening wheel gauge
on wheels and axles.
In accordance with 49 CFR part 674, SSOAs are responsible for
overseeing the safety of the rail fixed guideway public transportation
systems (RTAs) within their State. Each SSOA has investigative and
enforcement authority with respect to the safety of all RTAs within
their State (Sec. 674.13(a)(5)).
Action Required
Within 30 days of November 1, 2021, the SSOA must submit the
following information to FTA, for the rail transit fleet in revenue
service at each RTA in its jurisdiction:
<bullet> Total fleet size, by mode;
<bullet> Wheel gauge inspection protocols (specifically, the
routine periodicity of inspections), by mode; and
<bullet> The number of vehicles that failed wheel gauge tolerance
levels, based on the RTA's internal and approved procedures, from
October 1, 2020 to September 30, 2021, by mode.
FTA seeks to collect this information as a periodic request for
information under OMB control number 2132-0558. Equipment subject to
Federal Railroad Administration safety oversight is excluded from this
reporting requirement.
Recommended Action
FTA advises the SSOA to direct each RTA in its jurisdiction to
conduct a wheel gauge inspection of its rail transit fleet in revenue
service, which may include inspections conducted on or after October 1,
2021. Within 60 days of November 1, 2021, the SSOA should submit to
FTA, for the rail transit fleet in revenue service at each RTA in its
jurisdiction:
<bullet> The time frame during which these inspections were
conducted (starting no earlier than October 1, 2021);
<bullet> The total number of revenue service vehicles inspected;
and
<bullet> The total number of revenue service vehicles that failed
wheel gauge
[[Page 60332]]
tolerance levels based on the RTA's internal and approved procedures,
by mode.
Equipment subject to Federal Railroad Administration safety
oversight is excluded from this inspection advisory.
Nuria I. Fernandez,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2021-23721 Filed 10-29-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-57-P
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