[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 230 (Monday, December 1, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67259-67260]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-29849]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2000-7257; Notice No. 31]


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 their current status. For additional details on 
completed activities see prior working group activity notices (68 FR 
25677).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Trish Butera or Lydia Leeds, RSAC 
Coordinators, FRA, 1120 Vermont Avenue, NW., Mailstop 25, Washington, 
DC 20590, (202) 493-6213 or Grady Cothen, Deputy Associate 
Administrator for Safety Standards and Program Development, FRA, 1120 
Vermont Avenue, NW., Mailstop 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 of 
September 18, 2003, (68 FR 54777). The twenty-first full Committee 
meeting was held May 20, 2003. The twenty-second meeting is scheduled 
for December 2, 2003, at the Washington Plaza Hotel.
    Since its first meeting in April of 1996, the RSAC has accepted 
eighteen tasks. Status for each of the tasks is provided below:

Open Tasks

    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 monitored the steam locomotive regulations task. Planned 
future activities involve the review of other regulations for possible 
adaptation to the safety needs of tourist and historic railroads. 
Contact: Grady Cothen (202) 493-6302.
    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 was established by the Working Group on Locomotive 
Crashworthiness to review collision history and design options and 
additional research was commissioned. The Working Group reviewed 
results of the research and is drafting performance-based standards for 
freight and passenger locomotives to present to the RSAC for 
consideration. An accident review task force has evaluated the 
potential effectiveness of suggested improvements. The Working Group 
reached tentative agreement for a proposed rule. The NPRM and 
Regulatory Impact Analysis have been revised to reflect the changes. 
The next step is for the Working Group to complete its review of the 
NPRM. Contact: Charles Bielitz (202) 493-6314.
    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.

(Sanitation) (Completed)

    (Noise exposure) The Cab Working Conditions Working Group met most 
recently in Chicago, November 12-14, 2002. A tentative consensus was 
reached on the draft rule text. The Working Group approved the NPRM. On 
June 27, 2003, the full RSAC gave consensus by ballot on NPRM. FRA is 
completing review of the Regulatory Impact Analysis. The next step is 
to publish the NPRM in the Federal Register.

(Cab Temperature) (Completed)

    Note: Additional related topics may be further considered by the 
Working Group in the future, including effect of vibrations and crew 
emergency egress. Contact: Jeffrey Horn (202) 493-6283.


    Task 97-3--Developing event recorder data survivability standards. 
This Task was accepted on June 24, 1997. On November 12, 2003, the RSAC 
gave consensus by ballot on the NPRM. The next step is to publish the 
NPRM in the Federal Register.
    Contact: Edward Pritchard (202) 493-6247.
    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.
    (Report to the Administrator) A Data and Implementation Task Force, 
formed to address issues such as assessment of costs and benefits and 
technical readiness, completed a report on the future of PTC systems. 
The report was accepted as RSAC's Report to the Administrator at the 
September 8, 1999,

[[Page 67260]]

meeting. FRA enclosed the report with a letter Report to Congress 
signed May 17, 2000.
    (Report to Congress) The Appropriations Conferees included in their 
report on the FY 2003 DOT Appropriations Act a requirement for a second 
review of the costs and benefits of PTC as a part of the 2005 budget 
submission to Congress. FRA will request the RSAC to comment on the 
draft report when available.
    (Regulatory development) The Standards Task Force, formed to 
develop PTC standards assisted in developing draft recommendations for 
performance-based standards for processor-based signal and train 
control systems. The NPRM was approved by consensus at the full RSAC 
meeting held on September 14, 2000. The NPRM was published in the 
Federal Register on August 10, 2001. A meeting of the Working Group was 
held December 4-6, 2001, in San Antonio, Texas to formulate 
recommendations for resolution of issues raised in the public comments. 
Agreement was reached on most issues raised in the comments. A meeting 
was held May 14-15, 2002, in Colorado Springs, Colorado at which the 
Working Group approved creation of teams to further explore issues 
related to the ``base case'' issue. Briefing of the full RSAC on the 
``base case'' issue was completed on May 29, 2002, and consultations 
continued within the working group. The full Working Group met October 
22-23, 2002, and again March 4-6, 2003. Resolution of the remaining 
issues was considered by the Working Group at the July 8-9, 2003, 
meeting. The Working Group achieved consensus on recommendations for 
resolution of a portion of the issues in the proceeding. The full 
Committee considered the Working Group recommendations by mail ballots 
scheduled for return on August 14, 2003; however, a majority of the 
members voting did not concur. FRA has proceeded with preparation of a 
final rule, which is currently being reviewed in the Executive Branch.
    (Other program development activities) Task forces on Human Factors 
and the Axiomatic Safety--Critical Assessment Process (risk assessment) 
continue to work toward development of a risk assessment toolkit, and 
the Working Group continues to meet to monitor the implementation of 
PTC and related projects. Contact: Grady Cothen (202) 493-6302.
    Task 00-1--Determining the need to amend regulations protecting 
persons who work on, under, or between rolling equipment and persons 
applying, removing or inspecting rear end marking devices (Blue Signal 
Protection). The Working Group held its first meeting on October 16-18, 
2000, and six meetings have been held since then. The Working Group 
significantly narrowed the issues, but did not reach full consensus on 
recommendations for regulation action. The status of this rulemaking 
will be addressed at the December 2, 2003, RSAC meeting. Contact: Doug 
Taylor (202) 493-6255.
    Task 03-01 Passenger Safety. This Task was accepted May 20, 2003, 
and a Working Group was established. The Working Group held its first 
meeting September 9-10, 2003. At the second meeting held November 6-7, 
2003, four task forces were established and specific issues were 
committed to each task force for resolution. Task forces are charged 
with reporting to the working group regarding need, practicability, and 
milestones with respect to each issue item.

Completed Tasks

    Task 96-1--(Completed) Revising the Freight Power Brake 
Regulations.
    Task 96-2--(Completed) Reviewing and recommending revisions to the 
Track Safety Standards (49 CFR Part 213).
    Task 96-3--(Completed) Reviewing and recommending revisions to the 
Radio Standards and Procedures (49 CFR Part 220).
    Task 96-5--(Completed) Reviewing and recommending revisions to 
Steam Locomotive Inspection Standards (49 CFR Part 230).
    Task 96-6--(Completed) Reviewing and recommending revisions to 
miscellaneous aspects of the regulations addressing Locomotive Engineer 
Certification (49 CFR Part 240).
    Task 96-7--(Completed) Developing Roadway Maintenance Machines (On-
Track Equipment) Safety Standards.
    Task 96-8--(Completed) This Planning Task evaluated the need for 
action responsive to recommendations contained in a report to Congress 
entitled, Locomotive Crashworthiness & Working Conditions.
    Task 97-7--(Completed) Determining damages qualifying an event as a 
reportable train accident.
    Task 01-1--(Completed) Developing conformity of FRA's regulations 
for accident/incident reporting (49 CFR Part 225) to revised 
regulations of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration 
(OSHA), U.S. Department of Labor, and to make appropriate revisions to 
the FRA Guide for Preparing Accident/Incident Reports (Reporting 
Guide).
    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 November 25, 2003.
George A. Gavalla,
Associate Administrator for Safety.
[FR Doc. 03-29849 Filed 11-28-03; 8:45 am]
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