[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 249 (Tuesday, December 29, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71667-71668]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-34391]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket No. RSAC-96-1, Notice No. 14]


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.

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SUMMARY: FRA is updating its announcement of RSAC's working group 
activities to reflect the current status of working group activities.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Vicky McCully, RSAC Coordinator, FRA, 
400 7th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590, (202) 493-6305 or Grady 
Cothen, Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety Standards Program 
Development, FRA, 400 7th Street, SW., Stop 25, Washington, DC 20590, 
(202) 493-6302.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: this notice serves to update FRA's last 
announcement of working group activities and status reports on August 
20, 1998 (63 FR 44669). The ninth full Committee meeting was held 
September 9, 1998. The next meeting of the full Committee is scheduled 
for January 28, 1999.
    Since its first meeting in April of 1996, the RSAC has accepted 
fifteen tasks. Status for each of the tasks is provided below:
    Task 96-1--Revising the Freight Power Brake Regulations. This Task 
was formally withdrawn from the RSAC on June 24, 1997.
    Task 96-2--Reviewing and recommending revisions to the Track Safety 
Standards (49 CFR Part 213) . This task was accepted April 2, 1996, and 
a Working Group was established. Consensus was reached on recommended 
revisions and an NPRM incorporating these recommendations was published 
in the Federal Register on July 3, 1997 (62 FR 36138). The final rule 
was published in the Federal Register on June 22, 1998 (63 FR 33991). 
The effective date of the rule is September 21, 1998. Contact: Al 
MacDowell (202) 493-6206.
    Task 96-3--Reviewing and recommending revisions to the Radio 
Standards and Procedures (49 CFR Part 220). This Task was accepted on 
April 2, 1996, and a Working Group was established. Consensus was 
reached on recommended revisions and an NPRM incorporating these 
recommendations published in the Federal Register on June 26, 1997 ( 62 
FR 34544). The final rule was published on September 4, 1998 (63 FR 
47182) and becomes effective on January 2, 1999. Contact: Gene Cox 
(202) 493-6319.
    Task 96-4--Reviewing the appropriateness of the agency's current 
policy regarding the applicability of existing and proposed regulations 
to tourist, excursion, scenic, and historic railroads. This Task was 
accepted on April 2, 1996, and a Working Group was established. The 
Working Group is monitoring the steam locomotive regulations task. 
Contact: Grady Cothen (202) 493-6302.
    Task 96-5--Reviewing and recommending revisions to Steam Locomotive 
Inspection Standards (49 CFR Part 230). This Task was assigned to the 
Tourist and Historic Working Group on July 24, 1996. Consensus was 
reached and an NPRM was published on September 25, 1998 (63 FR 51404). 
Contact: George Scerbo (202) 493-6349.
    Task 96-6--Reviewing and recommending revisions to miscellaneous 
aspects of the regulations addressing Locomotive Engineer Certification 
(49 CFR Part 240). This Task was accepted on October 31, 1996, and a 
Working Group was established. Consensus was reached and an NPRM was 
published on September 22, 1998. Contact: John Conklin (202) 493-6318.
    Task 96-7--Developing On-Track Equipment Safety Standards. This 
task was assigned to the existing Track Standards Working Group on 
October 31, 1996, and a Task Force was established. The Task Force is 
finalizing a draft proposed rule. Contact: Al MacDowell (202) 493-6236.
    Task 96-8--This Planning Task evaluated the need for action 
responsive to recommendations contained in a report to Congress 
entitled, Locomotive Crashworthiness & Working Conditions. This Task 
was accepted on October 31, 1996. A Planning Group was formed and 
reviewed the report, grouping issues into categories.
    Task 97-1--Developing crashworthiness specifications to promote the 
integrity of the locomotive cab in accidents resulting from collisions. 
This Task was accepted on June 24, 1997. A Task Force on engineering 
issues established by the Working Group on Locomotive

[[Page 71668]]

Crashworthiness has been actively reviewing collision history and 
design options and has commissioned additional research that is being 
guided toward completion over the next few months. Contact: Sean 
Mehrvazi (202) 493-6237.
    Task 97-2--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. This Task was accepted June 24, 1997. The Working Group on 
Cab Working Conditions is meeting to draft a standard for locomotive 
sanitary conditions. Task forces on noise and temperature have been 
formed and are actively meeting to identify and address issues. 
Contact: Brenda Hattery (202) 493-6326.
    Task 97-3--Developing event recorder data survivability standards. 
This Task was accepted on June 24, 1997. An Event Recorder Working 
Group and Task Force have been established and are actively meeting. 
Contact: Edward English (202) 493-6321.
    Task 97-4 and Task 97-5--Defining Positive Train Control (PTC) 
functionalities, describing available technologies, evaluating costs 
and benefits of potential systems, and considering implementation 
opportunities and challenges, including demonstration and deployment.
    Task 97-6--Revising various regulations to address the safety 
implications of processor-based signal and train control technologies, 
including communications-based operating systems. These three tasks 
were accepted on September 30, 1997, and assigned to a single Working 
Group. A Data and Implementation Task Force was formed to address 
issues such as assessment of costs and benefits and technical 
readiness. A Standards Task Force was formed to develop PTC standards. 
The Working Group and task forces are actively meeting. Contact: Grady 
Cothen (202) 493-6302.
    Task 97-7--Determining damages qualifying an event as a reportable 
train accident. This Task was accepted on September 30, 1997. A working 
group has been formed to address this task and will conduct their 
initial meeting in February 1999. Contact: Robert Finkelstein (202) 
493-6280.
    Please refer to the notice published in the Federal Register on 
March 11, 1996 (61 FR 9740) for more information about the RSAC.

    Issued in Washington, DC on December 23, 1998.
George A. Gavalla,
Acting Associate Administrator for Safety.
[FR Doc. 98-34391 Filed 12-28-98; 8:45 am]
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