Notice2023-15231
Railroads' Joint Request to Amend Their Positive Train Control Safety Plans and Positive Train Control Systems
Primary source
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Published
July 19, 2023
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Railroad Administration
Abstract
This document provides the public with notice that on June 28, 2023, twenty host railroads submitted a joint request for amendment (RFA) to their FRA-approved Positive Train Control Safety Plans (PTCSP). The RFA proposes an alternative to the definition of "initial terminal." As this joint RFA involves a request for FRA's approval of a proposed material modification to FRA-certified positive train control (PTC) systems, FRA is publishing this notice and inviting public comment on the railroads' joint RFA to their PTCSPs.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 137 (Wednesday, July 19, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 137 (Wednesday, July 19, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46370-46371]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-15231]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket No. FRA-2010-0028, -0029, -0039, -0042, -0043, -0045, -0048, -
0049, -0051, -0054, -0056, -0057, -0058, -0059, -0060, -0061, -0062, -
0064, -0065, and -0070]
Railroads' Joint Request 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.
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SUMMARY: This document provides the public with notice that on June 28,
2023, twenty host railroads submitted a joint request for amendment
(RFA) to their FRA-approved Positive Train Control Safety Plans
(PTCSP). The RFA proposes an alternative to the definition of ``initial
terminal.'' As this joint RFA involves a request for FRA's approval of
a proposed material modification to FRA-certified positive train
control (PTC) systems, FRA is publishing this notice and inviting
public comment on the railroads' joint RFA to their PTCSPs.
DATES: FRA will consider comments received by August 8, 2023. 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 a joint RFA 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/research-development/program-areas/train-control/ptc/railroads-ptc-dockets">https://railroads.dot.gov/research-development/program-areas/train-control/ptc/railroads-ptc-dockets</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#2b6c4a494e05654e4a476b4f445f054c445d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="bdfadcdfd893f3d8dcd1fdd9d2c993dad2cb">[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 Title 49 Code of Federal
Regulations (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 49 CFR 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 train control
system. Accordingly, this notice informs the public that the twenty
host railroads' recent, joint RFA to their PTCSPs is available in their
respective public PTC dockets, and this notice provides an opportunity
for public comment. The RFA proposes an alternative to the definition
of ``initial terminal'' as set forth in 49 CFR 236.829.
On June 28, 2023, the following twenty host railroads jointly
submitted an RFA to their respective PTCSPs for their Interoperable
Electronic Train Management Systems (I-ETMS): Alaska Railroad; The Belt
Railway Company of Chicago; BNSF Railway; Caltrain; Canadian National
Railway; Canadian Pacific Railway; Consolidated Rail Corporation; CSX
Transportation, Inc.; Kansas City Southern Railway; Kansas City
Terminal Railway; National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak); New
Mexico Rail Runner Express; Norfolk Southern Railway; North County
Transit District; Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad
Corporation (Metra); Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District;
South Florida Regional Transportation Authority; Southern California
Regional Rail Authority (Metrolink); Terminal Railroad Association of
St. Louis; and Union Pacific Railroad. Their joint RFA is available in
Docket Numbers FRA-2010-0028, -0029, -0039, -0042, -0043, -0045, -0048,
-0049, -0051, -0054, -0056, -0057, -0058, -0059, -0060, -0061, -0062, -
0064, -0065, and -0070. Interested parties are invited to comment on
this RFA by submitting written comments or data. During FRA's review of
these railroads' joint RFA, 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,
[[Page 46371]]
FRA maintains the authority to approve, approve with conditions, or
deny these railroads' joint RFA 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. 2023-15231 Filed 7-18-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P
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