[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 50 (Wednesday, March 15, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13454-13455]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-3695]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration


Agency Request for Emergency Processing of Collection of 
Information by the Office of Management and Budget

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

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: FRA hereby gives notice that it is seeking emergency approval 
processing from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35) 
for the information collection request (ICR) listed below. FRA requests 
that OMB authorize the collection of information identified below on or 
before March 31, 2006, for a period of 180 days after the date of 
issuance of this notice in the Federal Register. While pursuing the 
normal rulemaking process to permanently address operational practice 
deficiencies related to hand-operated main track switches in non-
signaled territory, FRA is seeking emergency approval for this 
information collection because the safety of affected railroad 
employees and the general public will be seriously jeopardized if the 
requirements of Emergency Order No. 24 can not be enforced.

DATES: Comments must be received no later than March 29, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments on any or all of the following 
proposed activities by mail to either: Mr. Robert Brogan, Office of 
Safety, Planning and Evaluation Division, RRS-21, Federal Railroad 
Administration, 1120 Vermont Ave., NW., Mail Stop 17, Washington, DC 
20590, or Mr. Victor Angelo, Office of Support Systems, RAD-20, Federal 
Railroad Administration, 1120 Vermont Ave., NW., Mail Stop 35, 
Washington, DC 20590. Commenters requesting FRA to acknowledge receipt 
of their respective comments must include a self-addressed stamped 
postcard stating, ``Comments on OMB control number 2130-0568.'' 
Alternatively, comments may be transmitted via facsimile to (202) 493-
6230 or (202) 493-6170, or E-mail to Mr. Brogan at 
[email protected], or to Mr. Angelo at 
[email protected]. Please refer to the assigned OMB control 
number in any correspondence submitted.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Robert Brogan, Office of Planning 
and Evaluation Division, RRS-21, Federal Railroad Administration, 1120 
Vermont Ave., NW., Mail Stop 17, Washington,

[[Page 13455]]

DC 20590 (telephone: (202) 493-6292) or Victor Angelo, Office of 
Support Systems, RAD-20, Federal Railroad Administration, 1120 Vermont 
Ave., NW., Mail Stop 35, Washington, DC 20590 (telephone: (202) 493-
6470). (These telephone numbers are not toll-free.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Below is a brief summary of the currently 
approved information collection activities that FRA is submitting for 
clearance by OMB:
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0568.
    Title: FRA Emergency Order No. 24, Notice No. 1.
    Type of Request: Emergency approval.
    Affected Public: Businesses.
    Form Number(s): N/A .
    Abstract: Emergency Order No. 24--and its associated collection of 
information--is FRA's direct and proactive response to a series of 
train accidents that occurred throughout the country in 2005 caused by 
railroad workers improperly setting hand-operated main track switches 
in non-signaled territory. The collection of information under 
Emergency Order No. 24 is aimed at ensuring that railroads and their 
employees take prescribed extra safety measures to raise awareness and 
increase compliance regarding following proper operating rules and 
practices in setting and reversing hand-operated main track switches in 
non-signaled territory in order to prevent the type of human factor 
caused accidents and corresponding casualties that occurred in 2005.
    Reporting Burden:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                  Total annual          Average time per     Total annual burden    Total annual burden
      Emergency order item No.         Respondent universe          responses               response                hours                   cost
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Instruction On Railroad          685 Railroads; 100,000  Already fulfilled.....  N/A..................  N/A..................  N/A.
 Operating Rule--Operation of         employees.
 manual main track switches in non-
 signal territory.
    --New Employees................  8,000 employees.......  8,000 sessions........  60 minutes...........  8,000 hours..........  $400,000.
    --Instruction Records..........  685 Railroads.........  8,000 records.........  2 minutes............  267 hours............  $10,680.
(2) Hand-Operated Main Track         6,000 Dispatchers.....  60,000 verbal           30 seconds...........  500 hours............  $21,000.
 Switches--Confirmation of Switch                             confirmations.
 Position.
    --Review of SPAF by Train        6,000 Dispatchers.....  15,000 reviews........  10 seconds...........  42 hours.............  $2,100.
     Dispatcher.
(3) Switch Position Awareness Form   100,000 employees.....  20,000 forms..........  3 minutes............  1,000 hours..........  $50,000.
 (SPAF).
(4) Job Briefings..................  100,000 employees.....  60,000 briefings......  1 minute.............  1,000 hours..........  $50,000.
(5) Radio Communication--Crewmember  100,000 employees.....  60,000 verbal           15 seconds...........  250 hours............  $12,500.
 communication with engineer.                                 communications.
    --Notation of Inoperable Radio   90,000 Crew members...  500 form entries......  5 seconds............  1 hour...............  $50.
     on SPAF.
(6) Operational Tests and            685 Railroads.........  Burden Covered Under    Burden Covered Under   Burden Covered Under   Burden Covered Under
 Inspections.                                                 OMB No. 2130-0035.      OMB No. 2130-0035.     OMB No. 2130-0035.     OMB No. 2130-0035.
(7) Distribution of Emergency        685 Railroads; 8,000    8,000 copies..........  2 seconds............  4 hours..............  $160.
 Order--Copies to New Employees.      Employees.
    --Written Receipt and            685 Railroads; 8,000    8,000 receipts + 8,000  1 second + 1 second..  4 hours..............  $140.
     Acknowledgment of Copy.          Employees.              records.
(8) Relief--Petitions For Special    685 Railroads.........  10 petitions..........  60 minutes...........  10 hours.............  $400.
 Approval.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Form Number(s): N/A.
    Respondent Universe: 685 Railroads; 100,000 Railroad Employees.
    Frequency of Submission: One-time; On occasion.
    Total Responses: 255,510.
    Total Annual Estimated Burden: 11,078 hours.
    Status: Emergency Review.
    Pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 3507(a) and 5 CFR 1320.5(b), 
1320.8(b)(3)(vi), FRA informs all interested parties that it may not 
conduct or sponsor, and a respondent is not required to respond to, a 
collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB 
control number.

    Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on March 8, 2006.
D.J. Stadlter,
Director, Office of Budget, Federal Railroad Administration.
 [FR Doc. E6-3695 Filed 3-14-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P