[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 223 (Monday, November 18, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58736-58738]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-29547]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket Nos. RSSI 96-1A and RSSI 96-1B, Notice No. 1]
Informal Safety Inquiry on One-Person Crews and Remote-Control
Locomotive Operations
AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
[[Page 58737]]
ACTION: Notice of informal safety inquiry.
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SUMMARY: The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) will conduct an
informal safety inquiry concerning a proposal by the Wisconsin Central
Ltd. (WC) to expand its use of one-person crews and remote-control
locomotive operations. The United Transportation Union (UTU) has filed
two petitions for emergency orders requesting that: (1) FRA prohibit
the WC from using one-person crews; and (2) FRA prohibit the use of
remote control locomotive operations by the WC and all other railroads.
FRA intends to collect information to help it determine whether
emergency, regulatory, or other action is necessary. FRA asks
interested parties to comment on these subjects.
DATES: (1) The hearing will begin at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December
4, 1996, and conclude at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 5th. All times
noted are Central Standard Time. (2) Prepared statements to be made at
the hearing should be submitted to the Docket Clerk at least two
working days before the hearing date (close of business December 2,
1996). Parties who do not meet that deadline may be denied the
opportunity to present oral testimony, although their written
statements will be included in the record of this proceeding. (3)
Parties who do not wish to testify, but wish to submit written comments
for inclusion in the safety inquiry docket should submit them by
December 2, 1996.
ADDRESSES: (1) Hearing location--Paper Valley Inn, 333 West College
Avenue, Appleton, Wisconsin, 54911, (414) 733-8000 (phone), (414) 733-
9220 (fax). (2) Docket Clerk, Docket Nos. RSSI 96-1A and RSSI 96-1B,
Office of the Chief Counsel, Federal Railroad Administration, 400 7th
Street, S.W., Room 8201, Washington, D.C., 20590. Parties should
address statements on one-person crews to Docket No. RSSI 96-1A.
Statements concerning remote-control locomotive operations should be
addressed to Docket No. RSSI 96-1B. If a statement concerns both
issues, a copy of the statement should be addressed to each docket.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: S. Joseph Gallant, Operating Practices
Specialist, FRA, 400 7th Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20590, (202)
632-3371; or Patricia V. Sun, Trial Attorney, Office of Chief Counsel,
FRA, 400 7th Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20590, (202) 632-3183.
Background
One-Person Crews
The Wisconsin Central Ltd. (WC) operates about 2800 miles of
railroad, primarily in Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
Currently, the WC operates trains with one-person crews on four routes:
a 77-mile run on its White Pine subdivision; switching operations at
the Pfizer Rock Quarry; a 56-mile run between Wisconsin Rapids,
Wisconsin and Merrillan, Wisconsin; and a 63-mile run between Stevens
Point and Neenah, Wisconsin.
In January 1996, the WC proposed to expand its use of one-person
crews to an additional four routes, beginning in May 1996. The proposed
routes are: a one-way 150-mile run between Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
and Gladstone, Michigan; a turnaround job between Stevens Point and
Neenah; a one-way 38-mile turnaround job between Neenah and Fond du
Lac, Wisconsin; and a 63-mile run between gravel quarries at Sussex,
Wisconsin and Grayslake, Illinois. METRA has recently begun operating
passenger train service on portions of this last route.
Other railroads, including the Burlington Northern Santa Fe,
Conrail, and Springfield Terminal, currently operate some trains with
one-person crews. For the most part, these operations are short, slow
trains. (FRA distinguishes these one-person crews from the one person
in the cab trains operated by Amtrak and some commuter lines. In the
latter type of train, there is actually a two-person crew, since the
engineer in the locomotive cab control unit is assisted by a conductor
in the passenger cars). The WC proposal, however, is novel in that it
would use one-person crews for the first time on trains moving mixed
freight over long distances. Thus, the proposed operations pose many
complex safety issues. In addition, on April 25, 1996, the United
Transportation Union (UTU) filed a petition requesting that FRA issue
an emergency order to prohibit the WC altogether from using one-person
crews. At about that time, FRA began discussions of its concerns about
the safety of these operations with the WC.
After several meetings between representatives of FRA and the WC,
the WC agreed in May to defer implementation of any additional trains
with one-person crews pending further discussion of FRA's concerns. At
a special meeting convened by Deputy Administrator Donald M. Itzkoff,
FRA presented the WC with a list of critical safety issues and
potential operational problems that FRA had identified. As requested,
the WC later submitted a written action plan to FRA detailing its
proposed solutions to these problems.
Remote-Control Locomotive Operations
In September 1996, the WC also proposed to begin using remote-
controlled yard locomotives in its Neenah and Green Bay, Wisconsin
yards. The UTU filed a second petition for an emergency order on
September 17, 1996, asking FRA to prohibit not just the WC, but all
railroads, from operating engines or trains by remote control.
In 1993, FRA examined the issue of remote-control locomotive
operations in the context of a waiver application submitted by the
Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad Company (W&LE) and the promulgation of a
proposed test program for remote control operations. (In response to
the W&LE's waiver application, the UTU had filed a petition requesting
that FRA issue an emergency order against the W&LE prohibiting it from
utilizing remote control technology.) Public hearings were held in both
proceedings. After extensive review of both the technology and W&LE's
operations, FRA denied the UTU's petition and permitted the W&LE to use
remote control technology subject to certain conditions.
At the hearing, FRA will again consider this issue. The two WC
proposals, namely the use of one-person crews and remote-control
locomotive operations, are closely related, since the WC action plan
envisions that an engineer working alone would use a remote control in
numerous situations. For example, where a train is equipped with a
remote control unit, and an engineer must flag through an automatic
interlocking, the WC plan calls for the engineer to locate him or
herself at the crossing to furnish protection as required, and then use
the remote control unit to move the train to the crossing where the
engineer would then reboard the locomotive.
Subjects of Inquiry
FRA has thoroughly reviewed the action plan and other submissions
by the WC on the use of one-person crews, but seeks to develop
additional facts as part of the basis for its decisions on the UTU
petitions and on whether there is a need for rulemaking on these
subjects. Accordingly, FRA will conduct an informal safety inquiry
focussing on the WC's proposed use of one-person crews and remote-
control locomotives. Interested parties may submit general comments on
industry practice in these areas as well, however. Prior to the
hearing, a team of FRA inspectors will conduct site visits to the WC to
inspect
[[Page 58738]]
its existing one-person crew operations and gather background
information.
General Concerns
For both subjects, FRA solicits written and oral comments on such
topics as:
Equipment standards
Design requirements
Employee training
Employee safety
Standard operating procedures
Train size and makeup
Terrain limitations
Communications
Inspections and tests
Operations security
This list of issues is not meant to be all-inclusive. Other
concerns may also be raised and discussed at the hearing.
Authority: Secs. 6, 9, Pub. L. 89-670, 80 Stat. 937, 944 (49
U.S.C. 1655, 1657); the statutes referred to in sec. 6(e) (1), (2),
(3), (6)(A) of Pub. L. 89-670, 80 Stat. 939 (49 U.S.C. 1655); sec.
202 of Pub. L. 91-458, 84 Stat. 971 as amended by sec. 5(a) of Pub.
L. 94-438 (45 U.S.C. 431); and 49 CFR 1.49, unless otherwise noted.
Jolene M. Molitoris,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 96-29547 Filed 11-15-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P