[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 100 (Tuesday, May 26, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28550-28552]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-13890]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
Application for Approval of Discontinuance or Modification of a
Railroad Signal System or Relief from the Requirements of Title 49 Code
of Federal Regulations Part 236
Pursuant to Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (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. 3463
Applicants: Houston Belt and Terminal Railway Company, Mr. J. B.
Mathis, General Manager, 501 Crawford, Room 515, Houston, Texas 77002-
2192.
Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Company, Mr. William G.
Peterson, Director Signal Engineering, 4515 Kansas Avenue, Kansas City,
Kansas 66106.
Union Pacific Railroad Company, Mr. Bruce E. Williams, Director
Signal Design, 1416 Dodge Street, Room 1000, Omaha, Nebraska 68179-
1000.
The Houston Belt and Terminal Railway Company, Burlington Northern
and Santa Fe Railway Company, and Union Pacific Railroad Company,
jointly seek approval of the proposed discontinuance and removal of the
traffic control system, on the East Main Track, between Control Point
169, milepost 9.6 and Control Point 183, milepost 10.9, on the West
Belt Subdivision, in Houston, Texas, including removal of Control
Points 175 and 178, and associated signals, power-operated switch
machines, and track circuits.
The reasons given for the proposed changes are that the track
serves yards and the signal system is no longer required.
BS-AP-No. 3464
Applicants: Southern California Regional Rail Authority, Mr. David
Solow, Deputy Executive Director, 700 South Flower Street, Suite 2600,
Los Angeles, California 90017-4101.
Santa Clarita Railroad, Mr. James Clark, Manager of Operations,
25135 Anza, Santa Clarita, California 91355.
Union Pacific Railroad Company, Mr. Bruce E. Williams, Director
Signal Design, 1416 Dodge Street, Room 1000, Omaha, Nebraska 68179-
1000.
The Southern California Regional Rail Authority, Santa Clarita
Railroad, and Union Pacific Railroad Company jointly seek approval of
the proposed reduction to the interlocking limits of CP Saugus,
milepost 32.4, Saugus, California, Valley Subdivision, consisting of
the conversion of the No. 3 power-operated switch to hand operation,
conversion of interlocked signal ``2WC'' to absolute signal ``3240,''
in lieu of an electric lock, removal of signal ``2WA,'' and
installation of a new interlocked signal ``W,'' 642 feet west of the
2WA location.
The reason given for the proposed changes is to modify the
interlocking to reflect change in operating practices.
BS-AP-No. 3465
Applicant: Long Island Rail Road, Mr. Frederick E. Smith, P.E.,
Chief Engineer, Hillside Maintenance Complex, 93-59 183 Street, Hollis,
New York 11423.
The Long Island Rail Road seeks approval of the proposed temporary
discontinuance of Cabin ``M'' Interlocking, on the Montauk Branch, in
Queens County, New York, until June 1999, and govern train movements
through the interlocking by issuance of a Clearance Card Form C, Rule
331 of
[[Page 28551]]
Long Island Rail Road's ``Rules of The Operating Department.''
The reason given for the proposed changes is that the location was
destroyed by fire and is currently being redesigned. Upon completion of
the design work, the signal enclosure will be wired by a third party
vendor, with installation, testing, and completion expected during the
first half of 1999.
BS-AP-No. 3466
Applicant: Central Michigan Railway Company, Mr. James P. Pitz,
Chief Operating Officer, 1410 S. Valley Center Drive, Bay City,
Michigan 48706-9998.
The Central Michigan Railway Company seeks approval of the proposed
modification of the signal system, on the single main track, near
Carrollton, Michigan, on the Saginaw Subdivision, consisting of the
relocation of the southbound approach signal from milepost 41.9 to
milepost 41.3. The proposed changes are associated with the replacement
of the existing pole line with polarized track circuits, and
installation of a new signal to govern movements from the Old GT Spur
Track to the Saginaw Subdivision Main Track.
The reason given for the proposed changes is the elimination of a
pole line for signal control circuits and relocation of the approach
signal for improved visibility.
BS-AP-No. 3467
Applicant: CSX Transportation, Incorporated, Mr. R. M. Kadlick,
Chief Engineer Train Control, 500 Water Street (S/C J-350),
Jacksonville, Florida 32202.
CSX Transportation, Incorporated seeks approval of the proposed
modification of the signal system, on all tracks, between milepost CA-
520.7 and milepost CA-527.7, near Russell, Kentucky, on the Kanawha and
Russell Subdivisions, Huntington Division, consisting of the following:
1. Discontinuance and removal of absolute controlled signals 2L and
2R at West End ``RU,'' milepost CA-524.3;
2. Discontinuance and removal of absolute controlled signals 14RA,
14RB, 16R, 16L, 18L, 20RA, 20RB, 20RC, 20RD, 20L, 22L, 24RA, 24RB,
24RC, and 24L at ``RU'' Tower, milepost CA-524.3 to CA-524.0; and
3. Discontinuance and removal of absolute controlled signals 50R,
50L, 52R, 52L, and power crossover 51 at East End ``RU,'' milepost CA-
523.2.
The reason given for the proposed changes is to eliminate
facilities no longer needed in present day operation and increase
operating efficiency.
BS-AP-No. 3468
Applicant: CSX Transportation, Incorporated, Mr. R. M. Kadlick,
Chief Engineer Train Control, 500 Water Street (S/C J-350),
Jacksonville, Florida 32202.
CSX Transportation, Incorporated seeks approval of the proposed
modification of the traffic control system, on the single main track,
milepost BA-81.44, near Harpers Ferry Interlocking, West Virginia,
Cumberland Subdivision, Baltimore Service Lane, consisting of the
discontinuance and removal of the interconnected, single wire loop,
bridge fire detection system.
The reason given for the proposed changes is the poor reliability
of this type of system, along with the advances in communication
systems in today's environment, renders this type of system obsolete.
BS-AP-No. 3469
Applicants: CSX Transportation, Incorporated, Mr. R. M. Kadlick,
Chief Engineer Train Control, 500 Water Street (S/C J-350),
Jacksonville, Florida 32202.
Norfolk Southern Corporation, Mr. W. C. Johnson, Chief Engineer S&E
Engineering, 99 Spring Street, S.W., Atlanta, Georgia 30303.
CSX Transportation, Incorporated (CSXT) and Norfolk Southern
Corporation (NS) jointly seek approval of the proposed discontinuance
and removal of the power-operated derails, on the NS single main track,
at Wilson North Carolina, where two main tracks of CSXT cross at grade
the NS single main track, on the CSXT Florence Service Lane, South End
Subdivision, milepost A-136.5, and on the NS Piedmont Division, NS
District, milepost NS-182.3.
The reason given for the proposed changes is to improve operations
and increase efficiency.
BS-AP-No. 3470
Applicant: Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway, Mr. William G.
Peterson, Director Signal Engineering, 4515 Kansas Avenue, Kansas City,
Kansas 66106.
The Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway seeks approval of the
proposed modification of the signal system, on Main Track No. 1, at
Stockton, California, milepost 1121.8, Northern California Division,
consisting of the conversion of power-operated switch No. 73 to hand
operation, equipped with an electric lock, and removal of associated
signals No.'s 73, 76A, and 76B.
The reason given for the proposed changes is that the power-
operated switch is no longer needed for operations and removal would
accommodate and simplify the replacement of Stockton Tower.
BS-AP-No. 3471
Applicant: Union Pacific Railroad Company, Mr. P. M. Abaray, Chief
Engineer-Signals, 1416 Dodge Street, Room 1000, Omaha, Nebraska 68179-
1000.
The Union Pacific Railroad Company (UP) seeks approval of the
proposed temporary discontinuance of signal system, on the main track
between Littleton, milepost 727.1 and South Denver, milepost 733.4, at
Denver, Colorado, on the Colorado Springs Subdivision, for the duration
of the track and signal construction project, and operate trains by
track warrant control. The proposal involves the removal of all signals
and remote controlled switches on the UP trackage between Signal 1E at
Littleton and Signal 9 at South Denver, execution of the major track
construction, installation of two new control points, and restoration
of the signal system to service.
The reason given for the proposed changes is to perform major track
construction.
Rules, Standards, and Instructions Application (RS&I-AP)-No. 1103
Applicants: Consolidated Rail Corporation, Mr. J. F. Noffsinger,
Chief Engineer--C&S Assets, 2001 Market Street, P.O. Box 41410,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19101-1410.
Connecticut Southern Railroad, Mr. Louis J. Szabo, Assistant
General Manager, 191 Park Avenue, East Hartford, Connecticut 06108.
Consolidated Rail Corporation (Conrail) and the Connecticut
Southern Railroad jointly seek relief from section 236.566 of the
Rules, Standards, and Instructions (49 CFR, Part 236) to the extent
that the Connecticut Southern Railroad be permitted to operate non-
equipped locomotives, in automatic cab signal territory, between ``CP
96'', milepost 96.1 and ``CP 100.0'', milepost 100.0, on the Boston
Line, Albany Division of Conrail, near Springfield, Massachusetts, for
the following operations:
1. Work trains, wreck trains, and ballast cleaners;
2. Engines moving to and from shops; and
3. Engines used in switching and transfer service, with or without
cars, not exceeding 20 mph.
The justification for relief is the acquisition of track by the
Connecticut Southern Railroad, and an exemption is
[[Page 28552]]
already authorized for the operation of Guilford Transportation
Industries non-equipped locomotives over the exact same trackage.
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., Mail Stop 25, Washington, D.C. 20590
within 45 calendar days of the date of publication 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 an 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.
Issued in Washington, D.C. on May 19, 1998.
Grady C. Cothen, Jr.,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety Standards and Program
Development.
[FR Doc. 98-13890 Filed 5-22-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P