[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 131 (Monday, July 8, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35859-35860]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-17297]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------


DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Notice of Application for Approval of Discontinuance or 
Modification of a Railroad Signal System or Relief From the 
Requirements of 49 CFR Part 236

    Pursuant to 49 CFR Part 235 and 49 U.S.C. App. 26, the following 
railroads have petitioned the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) 
seeking approval for the discontinuance or modification of the signal 
system or relief from the requirements of 49 CFR Part 236 as detailed 
below.

Block Signal Application (BS-AP)-No. 3402

Applicant: Burlington Northern Railroad Company

Mr. William G. Peterson,
Director Signal Engineering,
1900 Continental Plaza,
777 Main Street,
Fort Worth, Texas 76102-5384.

    The Burlington Northern Railroad Company seeks approval of the 
proposed discontinuance and removal of the traffic control system 
(TCS), associated with the installation of an automatic block signal 
(ABS) system with track warrant control, on the single main track 
between Appleton, Minnesota, milepost 578 and Hettinger, South Dakota, 
milepost 925.9, on the Willmar and Yellowstone Divisions, Appleton, 
Mobridge, and Hettinger Subdivision, a distance of approximately 348 
miles. The proposed changes include: conversion of ``Big Stone Power 
Plant'' and ``West Aberdeen'' Control Points to remote-controlled 
interlockings, replacement of all power-operated and spring switches 
with circuit controller monitored hand-operated switches, removal of 
all switch electric locks, and modification of signal placement and 
spacing.
    The reasons given for the proposed changes are that reduced traffic 
patterns do not justify the high cost to maintain an aging TCS, and 
this application will retain the safety of train operations provided by 
an ABS system while providing economic relief from having to maintain 
the additional plant associated with TCS.

BS-AP-No. 3403

Applicant: Burlington Northern Railroad Company

Mr. William G. Peterson,
Director Signal Engineering,
1900 Continental Plaza,
777 Main Street,
Fort Worth, Texas 76102-5384.

    The Burlington Northern Railroad Company seeks approval of the 
proposed reduction to the limits of the automatic block signal system, 
on the single main track, between ``P.A. Tower'', milepost 109.9 and 
Grand Forks, milepost 107.6, North Dakota, Fargo Division, Grand Forks 
Subdivision; consisting of the discontinuance and removal of automatic 
block signals 107.9, 107.8, 108.3. 108.4, and 109.2, and conversion of 
automatic block signal 109.3 to a distant approach signal.
    The reasons given for the proposed changes are the reduction in 
train movements over the trackage and to provide a more efficient 
operation.

Rules Standards & Instructions Application (RS&I-AP)-No. 1101

Applicant: Florida East Coast Railway Company

Mr. Charles R. Lynch,
Vice President-Maintenance,
One Malaga Street,
P.O. Box 1048,
St. Augustine, Florida 32085-1048.

    The Florida East Coast Railway Company (FEC) seeks temporary relief 
from the requirements of 49 CFR, Part 236, Section 236.566 of the 
Rules, Standard and Instructions, for a 30 day period, to the extent 
that FEC be permitted to operate non-operational automatic train 
control (ATC) equipped locomotives, over FEC's entire ATC territory by 
way-side signal indications of the traffic control system, to 
accommodate modifications to both the onboard and roadway ATC 
equipment.
    Applicant's justification for relief: To implement changes to the 
ATC system code rates in order to enhance and improve the reliability 
of the system, associated with the designed elimination of cab signal 
flips.
    Any interested party desiring to protest the granting of an 
application shall set forth specifically the grounds upon which the 
protest is made, and contain a concise statement of the interest of the 
protestant in the proceeding. The original and two copies of the 
protest shall be filed with the Associate Administrator for Safety, 
FRA, 400 Seventh Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20590 within 45 
calendar days of the date of issuance of this notice. Additionally, one 
copy of the protest shall be furnished to the applicant at the address 
listed above.
    FRA expects to be able to determine these matters without oral 
hearing. However, if a specific request for an oral hearing is 
accompanied by a showing that the party is unable to adequately present 
his or her position by written statements, an application may be set 
for public hearing.


[[Page 35860]]


    Issued in Washington, DC, on July 1, 1996.
Phil Olekszyk,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety Compliance and Program 
Implementation.
[FR Doc. 96-17297 Filed 7-5-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P