Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request

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Published

August 8, 2025

Issuing agencies

Transportation DepartmentFederal Railroad Administration

Abstract

Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and its implementing regulations, FRA seeks approval of the Information Collection Request (ICR) summarized below. Before submitting this ICR to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval, FRA is soliciting public comment on specific aspects of the activities identified in the ICR.

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 151 (Friday, August 8, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 151 (Friday, August 8, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38582-38585]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-15055]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2025-0009]

Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment
Request

AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and its
implementing regulations, FRA seeks approval of the Information
Collection Request (ICR) summarized below. Before submitting this ICR
to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval, FRA is
soliciting public comment on specific aspects of the activities
identified in the ICR.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before
October 7, 2025.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed ICR
should be submitted on <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a> to the docket, Docket No.
FRA-2025-0009. All comments received will be posted without change to
the docket, including any personal information provided. Please refer
to the assigned OMB control number (2130-0591) in any correspondence
submitted. FRA will summarize comments received in response to this
notice in a subsequent notice, made available to the public, and
include them in its information collection submission to OMB for
approval.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Arlette Mussington, Information
Collection Clearance Officer, at email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#c4a5b6a8a1b0b0a1eaa9b1b7b7adaaa3b0abaa84a0abb0eaa3abb2"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="0c6d7e60697878692261797f7f65626b7863624c686378226b637a">[email&#160;protected]</span></a> or
telephone: (571) 609-1285 or Ms. Joanne Swafford, Information
Collection Clearance Officer, at email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#0d67626c636368237e7a6c6b6b627f694d696279236a627b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="aec4c1cfc0c0cb80ddd9cfc8c8c1dccaeecac1da80c9c1d8">[email&#160;protected]</span></a> or
telephone: (757) 897-9908.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520, and its
implementing regulations, 5 CFR part 1320, require Federal agencies to
provide 60 days' notice to the public to allow comment on information
collection activities before seeking OMB approval of the activities.
See 44 U.S.C. 3506, 3507; 5 CFR 1320.8 through 1320.12. Specifically,
FRA invites interested parties to comment on the following ICR
regarding: (1) whether the information collection activities are
necessary for FRA to properly execute its functions, including whether
the activities will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of FRA's
estimates of the burden of the information collection activities,
including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used to
determine the estimates; (3) ways for FRA to enhance the quality,
utility, and clarity of the information being collected; and (4) ways
for FRA to minimize the burden of information collection activities on
the public, including the use of automated collection techniques or
other forms of information technology. See 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A); 5
CFR 1320.8(d)(1).
FRA believes that soliciting public comment may reduce the
administrative and paperwork burdens associated with the collection of
information that Federal regulations mandate. In summary, comments
received will advance three objectives: (1) reduce reporting burdens;
(2) organize information collection requirements in a ``user-friendly''
format to improve the use of such information; and (3) accurately
assess the resources expended to retrieve and produce information
requested. See 44 U.S.C. 3501.
The summary below describes the ICR that FRA will submit for OMB
clearance as the PRA requires:
Title: System for Telephonic Notification of Unsafe Conditions at
Highway-Rail and Pathway Grade Crossings.
OMB Control Number: 2130-0591.
Abstract: FRA's regulations on emergency notification systems (ENS)
for telephonic reporting of unsafe conditions at highway-rail and
pathway grade crossings (subpart E of 49 CFR part 234) prescribe
standards to ensure that the congressional mandate \1\ to require
railroad carriers to establish and maintain a toll-free telephone
service to report unsafe conditions at highway-rail and pathway grade
crossings is carried out. This collection of information is used by
railroads to investigate and respond to unsafe conditions and thereby
reduce the risk of accidents/incidents and corresponding casualties and
property damage at such crossings. Additionally, law enforcement
authorities use the information to direct vehicular traffic or carry
out other activities to maintain safety at the highway-rail or pathway
grade crossing.
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\1\ Section 205(a) of the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008
(RSIA), Public Law 110-432, Div. A (Oct. 16, 2008), codified at 49
U.S.C. 20152.
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In this 60-day notice, FRA made multiple adjustments that increased
the previously approved burden hours from 13,649 to 22,385 hours and
increased the number of responses from 163,996 to 186,102. These
adjustments are summarized below:
<bullet> Under Sec. 234.305, which contains requirements for
railroads' response to credible reports of warning system malfunction
at highway-rail grade crossings, FRA adjusted the burden estimates to
reflect the number of responses and estimated average time because the
number of closed crossings is no longer included.
<bullet> Section 234.305(a)(1), which contains requirements for
railroads to contact law enforcement under paragraph (a)(2), was not
included in previous submissions of this ICR. Accordingly, FRA adjusted
the burden estimates to include the number of hours and estimated
average time required to report a warning, which increased the burden
by 35 hours.

[[Page 38583]]

<bullet> Under Sec. 234.305(b) through (d), FRA made multiple
burden adjustments to reflect the estimated annual responses more
accurately from 607 railroads with open grade crossings. Specifically,
a previous year analysis of the highway-rail grade crossing data
indicated that approximately 90 percent of the 607 railroads
responsible for ENS do not have maintenance responsibility. In
addition, based on a previous extrapolation of a study/pilot program,
FRA estimated an average of approximately 64,000 calls annually to the
ENS concerning highway-rail grade crossings, and an average of 2,000
calls annually to the ENS concerning pathway crossings. Accordingly,
FRA adjusted the paperwork requirements for remedial actions in
response to reports of unsafe conditions at highway-rail and pathway
grade crossings.
<bullet> Under Sec. 234.306, which establishes procedures for
multiple dispatching or maintaining railroads with respect to the same
highway-rail or pathway grade crossing and appointment of the
responsible railroad, FRA made burden estimate adjustments to
accurately reflect that appointment discussions have no timeline or end
date. Consequently, these appointment discussions would only need to
take place when a new appointment is made, or an appointment is
changed.
<bullet> Under Sec. 234.311, which contains requirements for ENS
sign placement and maintenance, FRA determined that the previous
submission underestimated the annual responses for this paperwork
requirement. Accordingly, FRA adjusted the burden estimates to
accurately reflect the number of hours and estimated average time
required for railroads to replace and repair ENS signs. FRA determined
that there are approximately 200,000 highway-rail grade crossings, with
two signs at each crossing, for an estimated total of 400,000 ENS
signs. FRA estimates that approximately 10 percent of these signs
(40,000) are being replaced annually, causing the burden estimate for
this regulatory requirement to increase by 9,000 hours.
Type of Request: Extension without change (with changes in
estimates) of a currently approved collection.
Affected Public: Businesses.
Form(s): N/A.
Respondent Universe: 607 railroads.
Frequency of Submission: On occasion.

Reporting Burden
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CFR section (49 CFR part 234, Total annual Average time per Total annual Total cost
subpart E) Respondent universe responses response burden hours Wage rate equivalent
..................... (A)................. (B)................. (C) = A * B (D) \2\ (E) = C * D
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234.303 Emergency notification systems for telephonic reporting of unsafe conditions at highway-rail and pathway grade crossings.
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--(a), (c), (d), (e) Reportable 607 railroads........ 66,000 calls........ 1 minute............ 1,100 $47.20 $51,920
calls from the public of unsafe
conditions at highway-rail grade
crossings and pathway grade
crossings.
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234.305 Remedial actions in response to reports of unsafe conditions at highway-rail and pathway grade crossings.
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(a) General rule on response to credible report of warning system malfunction at a highway-rail grade crossing.
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--(1) Dispatching responsibility 546 railroads........ 1,000 contacts...... 1 minute............ 16.67 89.13 1,485.80
and maintenance responsibility;
dispatching railroad's prompt
notification of malfunction to
all trains authorized to operate
through the highway-rail grade
crossing.
--Contact law enforcement as 546 Railroads........ 1,000 contacts...... 1 minute............ 16.67 89.13 1,485.80
required by subpart C of this
part.
--(2) Dispatching responsibility 61 railroads......... 100 contacts........ 1 minute............ 1.67 80.38 133.97
but not maintenance
responsibility; dispatching
railroad's prompt notification of
malfunction to all trains
authorized to operate through the
highway-rail grade crossing.
--(2) Dispatching railroad prompt 61 railroads......... 100 contacts........ 1 minute............ 1.67 89.13 148.85
report of malfunction to the
railroad that has maintenance
responsibility.
--Contact law enforcement as 61 Railroads......... 100 Contacts........ 1 minute............ 1.67 89.13 148.85
required by subpart C of this
part.
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(b) General rule on response to public report of warning system malfunction at a highway-rail grade crossing.
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--(1) Railroad has maintenance 546 railroads........ 1,000 contacts...... 1 minute............ 16.67 80.38 1,339.67
responsibility for warning
system; prompt contact by
railroad to all trains that are
authorized to operate through the
highway-rail grade crossing.
--Prompt notification to law 546 railroads........ 1,000 contacts...... 1 minute............ 16.67 89.13 1,485.80
enforcement agency with
jurisdiction over the highway-
rail grade crossing.
--(2) Railroad does not have 61 railroads......... 100 contacts........ 1 minute............ 1.67 89.13 148.85
maintenance responsibility for
warning system; prompt contact to
all trains that are authorized to
operate through the highway-rail
grade crossing.
--Contact law enforcement......... 61 railroads......... 100 contacts........ 1 minute............ 1.67 89.13 148.55
--Contact the maintaining railroad 61 railroads......... 100 contacts........ 1 minute............ 1.67 89.13 148.55
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(c) General rule on response to public report of warning system failure at a pathway grade crossing.
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--(1) Railroad has maintenance 546 railroads........ 20 contacts......... 1 minute............ 0.33 89.13 29.41
responsibility for warning
system; prompt contact by
railroad to all trains that are
authorized to operate through
pathway grade crossing.
--Contact law enforcement......... 546 railroads........ 20 contacts......... 1 minute............ 0.20 89.13 29.41
--(2) Railroad does not have 61 railroads......... 2 contacts.......... 1 minute............ 0.03 89.13 2.67
maintenance responsibility for
warning system; prompt contact by
railroad to all trains that are
authorized to operate through
pathway grade crossing.

[[Page 38584]]

--Contact law enforcement......... 61 railroads......... 2 contacts.......... 1 minute............ 0.03 89.13 2.67
--Contact maintaining railroad.... 61 railroads......... 2 contacts.......... 1 minute............ 0.03 89.13 2.67
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(d) General rule on response to report of a disabled vehicle or other obstruction blocking a railroad track at a highway-rail or pathway grade crossing.
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--(1) Railroad has maintenance 546 railroads........ 7,500 contacts...... 1 minute............ 1.25 89.13 11,141.25
responsibility for the crossing;
prompt contact by railroad to all
trains that are authorized to
operate through pathway grade
crossing.
--Contact law enforcement......... 546 railroads........ 750 contacts........ 1 minute............ 12.50 89.13 1,114.13
--(2) Railroad does not have 61 railroads......... 750 contacts........ 1 minute............ 12.50 80.38 1,114.13
maintenance responsibility for
crossing; prompt contact by
railroad to all trains that are
authorized to operate through
pathway grade crossing.
--Contact law enforcement......... 61 railroads......... 750 contacts........ 1 minute............ 12.50 89.13 1,114.13
--Contact maintaining railroad.... 61 railroads......... 750 contacts........ 1 minute............ 12.50 89.13 1,114.13
--(e) Special rule on contacting a 10 railroads......... 2 contacts.......... 1 minute............ 0.03 89.13 2.67
train that is not required to
have communication equipment.
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--(f) General rule on response to The estimated paperwork burden for this requirement is covered under Sec. 234.305(a) through (d).
report of an obstruction of view
at a highway-rail or pathway
grade crossing.
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--(g) General rule on response to The estimated paperwork burden for this requirement is covered under Sec. 234.305(a) through (d).
report of other unsafe condition
at a highway-rail or pathway
grade crossing.
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--(h)(1) Maintaining railroad's 61 railroads......... 12 contacts......... 1 minute............ 0.20 80.38 16.08
requirement to provide
dispatching railroad sufficient
contact information.
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--(h)(2) Exceptions for use of a The estimated paperwork burden for this requirement is covered under Sec. 234.307.
third-party telephone service and
answering machine by a
maintaining railroad.
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234.306 Multiple dispatching or maintaining railroads with respect to the same highway-rail or pathway grade crossing; appointment of responsible
railroad.
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--(a) Duty of multiple dispatching 61 railroads......... 15 appointment 1 hour.............. 15 89.13 1,336.95
railroads to appoint a primary discussions.
dispatching railroad for the
crossing.
--(b) Duty of multiple maintaining 61 railroads......... 15 appointment 1 hour.............. 15 89.13 1,336.95
railroads to appoint a railroad discussions.
responsible for the placement and
maintenance of the ENS sign(s).
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--(c) Duty of multiple maintaining The estimated paperwork burden for this requirement is covered under Sec. 234.305(a)(1), (b)(1), (c)(1), and
railroads with respect to (d)(1). The recordkeeping requirements are covered under Sec. 234.313.
remedial action at the crossing.
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234.307 Use of third-party telephone service by dispatching and maintaining railroads.
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--(b) General use of a third-party The estimated paperwork burden for this requirement is covered under Sec. 234.307(d)(1).
telephone service by a
maintaining railroad.
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--(c) Duties of third-party The estimated paperwork burden for this requirement is covered under
telephone service in contacting Sec. 234.303 or Sec. 234.305.
dispatching and maintaining
railroads.
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--(d)(1) Duties of railroad using FRA anticipates zero submissions over the next three-year period.
third-party telephone service--
Providing third-party telephone
service with contact information.
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--(d)(2) Written notice to FRA of FRA anticipates zero submissions over the next three-year period.
intent to use third-party service.
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--(d)(3) Duties of railroad using FRA anticipates zero submissions over the next three-year period.
third-party telephone service--
Informing FRA of any changes in
use or discontinuance of third-
party service.
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--(e) Third-party telephone The estimated paperwork burden for recordkeeping is covered under Sec. 234.313.
service and railroad
responsibilities.
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234.309 ENS signs in general.
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--(a) Provision of telephone 61 railroads......... 12 contacts......... 10 minutes.......... 2.00 89.13 178.26
number to maintaining railroad
that is to be displayed on the
ENS sign at the crossing.
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234.311 ENS sign placement and maintenance.
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--(c) Repair or replacement of ENS 546 railroads........ 40,000 signs........ 15 minutes.......... 10,000 69.79 69,790.00
sign.
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[[Page 38585]]

234.313 Recordkeeping
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--(a) through (d) Recordkeeping, 607 railroads........ 66,000 records...... 10 minutes.......... 11,000 89.13 980,430.00
including electronic
recordkeeping under Sec.
234.315.
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Total \3\..................... 607 railroads........ 187,202 responses... N/A................. 22,385 hours N/A 1,755,460.17
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Total Estimated Annual Responses: 187,202.
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\2\ For public respondents, FRA used an hourly rate of $47.20
per hour for the value of the public's time, which includes an
overhead cost of 31.1 percent. FRA obtained this data from the U.S.
Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics employer costs for
employee compensation wages for December 2024. Additionally, for
railroad respondents, the dollar equivalent cost is derived from the
Surface Transportation Board's 2023 Full Year Wage A&B data series
for railroad workers plus a 75-percent overhead charge. FRA
calculates the average hourly wage rate for professional/
administrative staff at $89.13 per hour, for maintenance of way/
structures employees at $69.79 per hour, and for transportation
employees (other than train and engine) at $80.38 per hour.
\3\ Totals may not add up due to rounding.
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Estimated Annual Burden: 22,385.
Estimated Annual Burden Hour Dollar Cost Equivalent: $1,755,460.17.
FRA informs all interested parties that it may not conduct or
sponsor, and a respondent is not required to respond to, a collection
of information that does not display a currently valid OMB control
number.

(Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520.)

Christopher S. Van Nostrand,
Deputy Chief Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2025-15055 Filed 8-7-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P

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