Notice2022-12640
Palmetto Railways Request for Approval of a Railroad Safety Program Plan and Product Safety Plan
Primary source
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Published
June 13, 2022
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Railroad Administration
Abstract
This document provides the public with notice that, on August 18, 2021, Palmetto Railways submitted a request for FRA approval of its Railroad Safety Program Plan (RSPP) and Product Safety Plan (PSP) for use of the RailSoft TrackAccess system in autonomous mode on its Charity Church Subdivision. As this request for FRA's approval involves a railroad's PSP, FRA is publishing this notice and inviting public comment on the document.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 113 (Monday, June 13, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 113 (Monday, June 13, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35846-35847]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-12640]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket No. FRA-2022-0046]
Palmetto Railways Request for Approval of a Railroad Safety
Program Plan and Product Safety Plan
AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: This document provides the public with notice that, on August
18, 2021, Palmetto Railways submitted a request for FRA approval of its
Railroad Safety Program Plan (RSPP) and Product Safety Plan (PSP) for
use of the RailSoft TrackAccess system in autonomous mode on its
Charity Church Subdivision. As this request for FRA's approval involves
a railroad's PSP, FRA is publishing this notice and inviting public
comment on the document.
DATES: Written comments must be received on or before July 28, 2022.
FRA will consider comments filed after this date to the extent
practicable.
ADDRESSES: Comments: Comments related to this Notice 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
docket number (FRA-2022-0046). Please note that comments submitted
online via <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a> are not
[[Page 35847]]
immediately posted to the docket. Several business days may elapse
after a comment has been submitted online before it is posted to the
docket.
Privacy Act: DOT solicits comments from the public to better inform
its regulatory process. DOT posts these comments, without edit, to
<a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a>, as described in the system of records notice, DOT/
ALL-14 FDMS, accessible through <a href="http://www.dot.gov/privacy">www.dot.gov/privacy</a>. To facilitate
comment tracking and response, commenters are encouraged to provide
their name, or the name of their organization; however, submission of
names is completely optional. Whether or not commenters identify
themselves, all timely comments will be fully considered. If you wish
to provide comments containing proprietary or confidential information,
please contact the agency for alternate submission instructions.
Docket: For access to the docket to read comments received, please
visit <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> and follow the online instructions
for accessing the docket.
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#edaa8c8f88c3a3888c81ad898299c38a829b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4d0a2c2f286303282c210d292239632a223b">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with part 236 of title 49,
Code of Federal Regulations, and sec. 20502(a) of title 49, United
States Code, this document provides the public notice that Palmetto
Railways has petitioned FRA for approval of a PSP for use of the
RailSoft TrackAccess system in autonomous mode on its Charity Church
Subdivision. FRA has assigned the petition Docket Number FRA-2022-0046.
Palmetto Railways' PSP has been placed in this docket and is available
for public inspection and comment.
The TrackAccess system is a processor-based dispatch system
developed by RailSoft Systems to be operated in autonomous mode
(without dispatcher intervention) for low-density rail lines. RailSoft
indicates that the system provides a processor-based methodology of
requesting and issuing track authority to either qualified train crew
members or roadway workers, while increasing railroad productivity and
significantly improving the safety of train operations, roadway
workers, and other railway equipment.
FRA is also providing public notice that Palmetto Railways' RSPP
has been placed in Docket Number FRA-2022-0046 and is available for
public inspection. FRA is not, however, accepting public comment on the
RSPP; notice regarding the availability of the RSPP is provided for
information only.
Palmetto Railways asserts that its PSP, dated August 18, 2021,
contains the same information and analysis as the Alabama and Tennessee
River Railway's (ATN) PSP, Rev. 1, except that Palmetto Railways' PSP
has been conformed to reflect only Palmetto Railways operations. FRA
approved ATN's use of TrackAccess in autonomous mode when FRA approved
ATN's PSP, Rev. 1, on January 28, 2014, available in Docket FRA-2013-
0088. Therefore, Palmetto Railways is seeking FRA approval to use the
TrackAccess system in autonomous mode on its Charity Church
Subdivision, through approval of Palmetto Railways' PSP, dated August
18, 2021. Currently, Palmetto Railways is using the TrackAccess system
in dispatcher-assisted mode and has done so without incident since
April 2007.
Interested parties are invited to comment on Palmetto Railways' PSP
by submitting comments to the electronic docket. Please refer to the
ADDRESSES section above for guidance on how to submit comments to the
electronic docket.
Issued in Washington, DC.
Carolyn R. Hayward-Williams,
Director, Office of Railroad Systems and Technology.
[FR Doc. 2022-12640 Filed 6-10-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P
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