Proposed Rule2024-30594
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
December 23, 2024
Effective
October 28, 2024
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Railroad Administration
Abstract
On October 28, 2024, FRA published an NPRM proposing to amend certain regulations governing positive train control (PTC) systems. Through oversight and continued engagement with the industry, FRA has found that its existing PTC regulations do not adequately address temporary situations during which PTC technology is not enabled, including after certain initialization failures or in cases where a PTC system needs to be temporarily disabled to facilitate repair, maintenance, infrastructure upgrades, or capital projects. FRA expects PTC systems to be reliable and robust, further reducing the occurrence of initialization failures and outages. The NPRM proposes to establish strict parameters and operating restrictions under which railroads may continue to operate safely in certain necessary scenarios when PTC technology is temporarily not governing rail operations. By this notice, FRA is extending the NPRM's comment period, which will close on December 27, 2024, by 15 days.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 246 (Monday, December 23, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 246 (Monday, December 23, 2024)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 104510]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-30594]
[[Page 104510]]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
49 CFR Part 236
[Docket No. FRA-2023-0064, Notice No. 2]
RIN 2130-AC95
Positive Train Control Systems
AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM); extension of comment
period.
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SUMMARY: On October 28, 2024, FRA published an NPRM proposing to amend
certain regulations governing positive train control (PTC) systems.
Through oversight and continued engagement with the industry, FRA has
found that its existing PTC regulations do not adequately address
temporary situations during which PTC technology is not enabled,
including after certain initialization failures or in cases where a PTC
system needs to be temporarily disabled to facilitate repair,
maintenance, infrastructure upgrades, or capital projects. FRA expects
PTC systems to be reliable and robust, further reducing the occurrence
of initialization failures and outages. The NPRM proposes to establish
strict parameters and operating restrictions under which railroads may
continue to operate safely in certain necessary scenarios when PTC
technology is temporarily not governing rail operations. By this
notice, FRA is extending the NPRM's comment period, which will close on
December 27, 2024, by 15 days.
DATES: The comment period for the proposed rule published October 28,
2024, at 89 FR 85462, is extended. Comments should be received on or
before January 11, 2025.
ADDRESSES:
Comments: Comments related to Docket No. FRA-2023-0064, Notice No.
1, 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, docket
name, and docket number or Regulatory Identification Number (RIN) for
this rulemaking (2130-AC95). Note that all comments received will be
posted without change to <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>, including any
personal information provided. Please see the Privacy Act heading in
the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document for Privacy Act
information related to any submitted comments or materials.
Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or
comments received, go to <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#6a2d0b080f44240f0b062a0e051e440d051c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c780a6a5a2e989a2a6ab87a3a8b3e9a0a8b1">[email protected]</span></a>; or Senya Waas, Senior Attorney Adviser, telephone:
202-875-4158, email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b0e3d5dec9d19ee7d1d1c3f0d4dfc49ed7dfc6"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="bbe8ded5c2da95ecdadac8fbdfd4cf95dcd4cd">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In a November 13, 2024, letter, the American
Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) requested a 60-
day extension of the NPRM's comment period.\1\ ASLRRA stated it needed
sufficient time to review the proposed rule and its impact on its
member railroads that are directly and indirectly subject to the PTC
mandate. In addition, in a November 25, 2024, letter, the Association
of American Railroads (AAR) also requested a 60-day extension of the
NPRM's comment period, in order for its members to have adequate time
to review the proposed rule.
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\1\ 89 FR 85462 (Oct. 28, 2024).
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The comment period for this NPRM is scheduled to close on December
27, 2024. As FRA is granting an extension in response to ASLRRA's and
AAR's requests, the comment period is now extended to January 11, 2024,
which is a total of 15 days. Although ASLRRA and AAR each requested a
60-day extension, FRA believes that a 15-day extension will provide
sufficient time for ASLRRA, AAR, and other interested parties to review
the NPRM.
Privacy Act
In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits comments from the
public to better inform its rulemaking 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, we
encourage commenters 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.
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 20103, 20107, 20133, 20141, 20302-20303,
20306, 20701-20702, 21301-21302, 21304; 28 U.S.C. 2461, note; and 49
CFR 1.89.
Issued in Washington, DC.
Allison Ishihara Fultz,
Chief Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2024-30594 Filed 12-20-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P
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