Safety Advisory 26-01 Overhead Catenary System (OCS) and Pantograph Reliability

Issuing agencies

Abstract

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is issuing Safety Advisory 26-01 to recommend State Safety Oversight Agencies (SSOAs) direct Rail Transit Agencies (RTAs) within their jurisdiction to use their Safety Management System (SMS) to identify hazards and mitigate risks related to Overhead Catenary System (OCS) and pantograph failures.

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 209 (Friday, October 30, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 209 (Friday, October 30, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68594-68595]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-22168]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration


Safety Advisory 26-01 Overhead Catenary System (OCS) and 
Pantograph Reliability

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of Safety Advisory.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is issuing Safety 
Advisory 26-01 to recommend State Safety Oversight Agencies (SSOAs) 
direct Rail Transit Agencies (RTAs) within their jurisdiction to use 
their Safety Management System (SMS) to identify hazards and mitigate 
risks related to Overhead Catenary System (OCS) and pantograph 
failures.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Isaiah Garcia, Senior Accident 
Investigator, Office of Transit Safety and Oversight, at 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b4fdc7d5ddd5dc9af3d5c6d7ddd5f4d0dbc09ad3dbc2"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="eaa3998b838b82c4ad8b9889838baa8e859ec48d859c">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>, phone: 202-695-9765.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FTA is issuing Safety Advisory 26-01 in 
response to recent OCS and pantograph-

[[Page 68595]]

related events that highlight emerging systemic risks across rail 
transit systems, including structural failures, pantograph 
entanglements, and downed live wires.
    FTA recommends that State Safety Oversight Agencies (SSOAs) direct 
Rail Transit Agencies (RTAs) within their jurisdiction to use the RTA's 
Safety Management System (SMS) to review and analyze safety performance 
data to identify hazards related to OCS and pantograph failures, 
conduct safety risk assessments, identify new or modified safety risk 
mitigations as necessary to reduce the associated safety risks, and 
monitor the effectiveness of those mitigations as part of the RTA's 
Safety Assurance process.
    FTA recommends SSOAs obtain any documentation related to the 
recommended actions outlined above from their RTAs.
    FTA recommends that SSOAs that receive such documentation submit it 
to the State Safety Oversight Reporting (SSOR) system within 180 days 
from the issuance of this Safety Advisory.
    FTA's Safety Advisory 26-01, ``Overhead Catenary System (OCS) and 
Pantograph Reliability,'' will be available in its entirety on the 
agency's public website: <a href="https://www.transit.dot.gov/regulations-and-guidance/safety/fta-safety-advisories">https://www.transit.dot.gov/regulations-and-guidance/safety/fta-safety-advisories</a>.
    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 5329; 49 CFR 1.91 and 670.29.

Jamie D. Pfister,
Acting Executive Director.
[FR Doc. 2026-22168 Filed 10-29-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-57-P


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