Notice2026-04449
Northeast Illinois Regional Corporation's Request To Amend Its Positive Train Control System
Primary source
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Published
March 6, 2026
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Railroad Administration
Abstract
This document provides the public with notice that, on February 24, 2026, the Northeast Illinois Regional Corporation (NIRC) submitted a request for amendment (RFA) to its FRA-certified positive train control (PTC) system seeking FRA's approval for two planned PTC system outages to support required network maintenance and firewall hardware upgrades. FRA is publishing this notice and inviting public comment on NIRC's RFA to its PTC system.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 44 (Friday, March 6, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 44 (Friday, March 6, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Page 11120]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-04449]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket No. FRA-2010-0042]
Northeast Illinois Regional Corporation's Request To Amend Its
Positive Train Control System
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
February 24, 2026, the Northeast Illinois Regional Corporation (NIRC)
submitted a request for amendment (RFA) to its FRA-certified positive
train control (PTC) system seeking FRA's approval for two planned PTC
system outages to support required network maintenance and firewall
hardware upgrades. FRA is publishing this notice and inviting public
comment on NIRC's RFA to its PTC system.
DATES: FRA will consider comments received by March 26, 2026. FRA may
consider comments received after that date to the extent practicable
and without delaying implementation of valuable or necessary
modifications to a PTC system.
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 number for this host
railroad is Docket No. FRA-2010-0042. 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#30775152551e7e55515c70545f441e575f46"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4b0c2a292e65052e2a270b2f243f652c243d">[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 PTC Safety Plan
(PTCSP), a host railroad must submit, and obtain FRA's approval of, an
RFA to its PTC system or 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, on February
24, 2026, NIRC submitted an RFA to its PTCSP for its Interoperable
Electronic Train Management System PTC system, which seeks FRA's
approval for two planned PTC system outages to support required network
maintenance and firewall hardware upgrades. That RFA is available in
Docket No. FRA-2010-0042.
Interested parties are invited to comment on NIRC's RFA by
submitting written comments or data. During FRA's review of NIRC's 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 a PTC
system. 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 a railroad's RFA 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. 2026-04449 Filed 3-5-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P
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