[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