[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]
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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