Notice2024-16750
Railroads' Joint Request 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
July 30, 2024
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Railroad Administration
Abstract
This document provides the public with notice that on July 11, 2024, five host railroads submitted a joint request for amendment (RFA) to their FRA-approved Positive Train Control Safety Plans (PTCSP). As this joint RFA 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' joint RFA to their PTCSPs.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 146 (Tuesday, July 30, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 146 (Tuesday, July 30, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Page 61229]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-16750]
[[Page 61229]]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket No. FRA-2010-0039, -2010-0045, -2010-0051, -2010-0056, and -
2010-0060]
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 July 11,
2024, five host railroads submitted a joint request for amendment (RFA)
to their FRA-approved Positive Train Control Safety Plans (PTCSP). As
this joint RFA 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' joint RFA to their PTCSPs.
DATES: FRA will consider comments received by August 19, 2024. 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#34735556511a7a51555874505b401a535b42"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c681a7a4a3e888a3a7aa86a2a9b2e8a1a9b0">[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 or train control
system. Accordingly, this notice informs the public that the five host
railroads listed below recently filed a joint RFA to their PTCSPs,
which is available in their respective public PTC dockets, and this
notice provides an opportunity for public comment.
Specifically, on July 11, 2024, the following five host railroads
jointly submitted an RFA to their respective PTCSPs for their
Interoperable Electronic Train Management Systems (I-ETMS): BNSF
Railway, Caltrain, New Mexico Rail Runner Express, Norfolk Southern
Railway Company, and South Florida Regional Transportation Authority.
This RFA includes a proposed process for emergencies that would affect
a significant portion or the entire fleet of these railroads' PTC-
equipped trains. Their joint RFA is available in Docket Numbers FRA-
2010-0039, -2010-0045, -2010-0051, -2010-0056, and -2010-0060.
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, 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. 2024-16750 Filed 7-29-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P
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