[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 214 (Wednesday, November 5, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59940-59941]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-29188]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket No. RSAC-96-1, Notice No. 7]


Railroad Safety Advisory Committee (``RSAC''); Working Group 
Activity Update

AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Announcement of Railroad Safety Advisory Committee (RSAC) 
working group activities and new tasks accepted.

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SUMMARY: FRA is updating its announcement of RSAC's working group 
activities, last published in early August of this year, to reflect 
additional working group activities, and new tasks presented and 
accepted during the RSACs September 30th meeting.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Vicky McCully, FRA, 400 7th Street, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20590, (202) 
632-3330, Grady Cothen, Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety 
Standards Program Development, FRA 400 7th Street, S.W., Washington, 
D.C. 20590, (202) 632-3309, or Lisa Levine,

[[Page 59941]]

Office of Chief Counsel, FRA, 400 7th Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 
20590, (202) 632-3189.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice serves to update FRA's last 
announcement of working group activities and status reports. See 62 FR 
41992, August 4, 1997. The most recent full RSAC meeting was held 
September 30, 1997.

    Since its first meeting in April of 1996, the RSAC has been 
presented with, and accepted, fourteen tasks. Detailed status and 
contact information for each of the tasks currently pending within the 
RSAC is provided below (new tasks appear in bold):
     (1) Reviewing and recommending revisions to the Track 
Safety Standards (49 CFR Part 213) (Task accepted April 2, 1996. 
Working Group established. Six meetings held. Consensus reached on 
recommended revisions. NPRM incorporating these recommendations 
published in the Federal Register on 7/3/97. ``Track Safety Standards; 
Miscellaneous Revisions,'' 62 FR 36138);
     (2) Reviewing and recommending revisions to the Radio 
Standards and Procedures (49 CFR Part 220) (Task accepted April 2, 
1996. Working Group established. Ten (10) meetings held. Consensus 
reached on recommended revisions. NPRM incorporating these 
recommendations published in the Federal Register on 6/26/97. 
``Railroad Communications; Notice of Proposed Rulemaking,'' 62 FR 
34544);
     (3) Reviewing the appropriateness of the agency's current 
policy regarding the applicability of existing and proposed regulations 
to tourist, excursion, scenic, and historic railroads (Task accepted 
April 2, 1996. Working Group established. Two (2) meetings held.);
     (4) Reviewing and recommending revisions to Steam 
Locomotive Inspection standards (49 CFR Part 230) (Tasked to existing 
Tourist and Historic Working Group (THWG) on July 24, 1996. Five (5) 
Task Force meetings held. Working Group consensus reached on proposed 
rule text).;
     (5) Reviewing and recommending revisions to miscellaneous 
aspects of the regulations addressing Locomotive Engineer Certification 
(49 CFR Part 240) (Task accepted October 31, 1996. Working Group 
established. The working group has met 7 times. The working group 
decided during a recent meeting to create a task force to address 
medical issues; this group has met once).
     (6) Developing On-Track Equipment Safety Standards (new 
regulation) (This was tasked to the existing Track Standards Working 
Group Group on October 31, 1996. The Task Force has met 4 times since 
this task was assigned);
     (7) Developing Crashworthiness Specifications to promote 
the integrity of the locomotive cab in accidents resulting from 
collisions. (New regulation) (Task accepted June 24, 1997. A working 
group has been established. The group has met once.);
     (8) Evaluating the extent to which environmental, 
sanitary, and other working conditions in locomotive cabs affect the 
crew's health and the safe operation of locomotives, proposing 
standards where appropriate. (New regulation) (Task accepted June 24, 
1997. A working group has been established and has met twice.)
     (9) Developing Event Recorder Data Survivability standards 
(New regulation (Task accepted June 24, 1997. A working group has been 
established, has met once, and is scheduled to meet again November 12, 
1997);
     (10) Facilitating Understanding of Current Positive Train 
Control (PTC) Technologies, Definitions, and Capabilities (Task 
accepted September 30, 1997. A working group has been established. The 
initial meeting of the working group is scheduled for November 19, 27, 
1997);
     (11) Addressing any remaining issues regarding the 
feasibility of implementing fully integrated PTC systems (Task accepted 
September 30, 1997. A working group has been established and will meet 
November 19, 1997);
     (12) Discussing possible revisions to the Rules, Standards 
and Instructions Governing the Installation, Inspection, Maintenance, 
and Repair of Signal and Train Control Systems, Devices and Appliances 
(49 CFR Part 236) to facilitating the implementation of software based 
signal and operating systems (Task accepted September 30, 1997. A 
working group has been established and will meet November 19, 1997);
     (13) Reviewing the current concept of a reportable ``train 
accident'' (Rail Equipment Accident/Incident) and assessing whether it 
is an appropriate way to structure and administer detailed reporting 
requirements for collisions, derailments and similar events involving 
moving equipment on the rails (49 CFR Part 225) (Task accepted 
September 30, 1997. A working group has been established to begin the 
work required to execute this task).
    If you have any questions about any of these working groups please 
refer to the following list of FRA contacts who can assist you with 
questions regarding any of the above-listed tasks:
    (1) Track Safety Standards Working Group--Al McDowell (202) 632-
3344 or Nancy Lewis (202) 632-3174;
    (2) Radio Communications Working Group--Gene Cox (202) 632-3504 or 
Pattie Sun (202) 632-3183;
    (3) Tourist and Historic Working Group--Grady Cothen (202) 632-3306 
or Lisa Levine (202) 632-3189;
    (4) Steam Inspection Standards Task Force--George Scerbo (202) 632-
3363 or Lisa Levine (202) 632-3189;
    (5) Locomotive Engineer Certification Working Group--John Conklin 
(202) 632-3372 or Alan Nagler (202) 632-3187;
    (6) On-Track Equipment Safety Standards Task Force--Al McDowell 
(202) 632-3344 or Nancy Lewis (202) 632-3174;
    (7) Locomotive Crashworthiness Working Group--Sean Mehrvazi (202) 
632-3364 or Lisa Levine (202) 632-3189;
    (8) Locomotive Crew Working Conditions Working Group--Brenda 
Hattery (202) 632-3366 or Christine Beyer (202) 632-3177; and
    (9) Event Recorder Data Survivability Working Group--Ron Newman 
(202) 632-3365 or Tom Phemister (202) 632-3181.
    (10) Positive Train Control Technologies, Definitions, and 
Capabilities--Grady Cothen (202) 632-3306 or Cynthia Walters (202) 632-
3188.
    (11) Positive Train Control Implementation Issues--Grady Cothen 
(202) 632-3306 or Cynthia Walters (202) 632-3188.
    (12) Standards for New Train Control Systems--Grady Cothen (202) 
632-3306 or Cynthia Walters (202) 632-3188; and
    (13) Definition of Reportable ``Train Accident''--Robert 
Finkelstein (202) 632-3386 or Nancy Goldman (202) 632-3190.
    Please refer to the notice published in the Federal Register on 
March 11, 1996 (61 F.R. 9740) for more information about the RSAC.
Donald M. Itzkoff,
Deputy Administrator.
[FR Doc. 97-29188 Filed 11-4-97; 8:45 am]
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