[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 152 (Tuesday, August 8, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45098-45099]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-12801]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration


Notice of 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. 20502(a), the following railroads have petitioned the Federal 
Railroad

[[Page 45099]]

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.

Docket Number FRA-2006-25266

    Applicant: Union Pacific Railroad Company, Mr. W. E. VanTrump, 
Assistant Vice President Engineering Maintenance, 1400 Douglas Street, 
Mail Stop 0910, Omaha, Nebraska 68179.
    The Union Pacific Railroad Company (UP) seeks approval of the 
proposed discontinuance and removal of the traffic control system on 
UP's Tennessee Pass Subdivision between milepost 341.9, near Dotsero, 
Colorado (not including Dotsero) and milepost 296.4, near West Belden, 
Colorado. The project is in connection with a limited reopening of the 
inactive trackage between MP 334.6 and MP 296.6. The proposed changes 
consist of the following:
    1. Discontinue the use of a total of 46 signals on the Dotsero to 
West Belden line segment. The heads of the discontinued signals will be 
turned and bagged, and the signals ultimately removed.
    2. The home signal at Dotsero, located on the Tennessee Pass 
Subdivision at the junction with the Glenwood Springs Subdivision, will 
remain in service with an operative distant signal installed in 
accordance with 49 CFR Part 236. Signage stating ``End Of CTC'' and 
``Beginning of CTC'' will be installed at appropriate locations near 
Dotsero.
    3. Existing power-operated switches within the project limits will 
be converted to hand-throw switches with reflectorized targets.
    4. The existing slide detector fences at mileposts 341.1, 319.1 and 
303.7 will be restored to service, and converted to radio talking 
devices.
    5. Train and other movements will be authorized and controlled by 
Track Warrant Control in accordance with established operating 
procedures, subject to a maximum operating speed of 25 mph.
    6. The four signalized rail/highway grade crossings within the 
project limits will not be adversely affected by the proposed changes. 
The grade crossing warning systems on the two rail/highway crossings on 
the out-of-service portion of the line at Wolcott (S. H. 131), milepost 
318.9, and Mintum (YMCA Road), milepost 301.6, will be made operational 
and compliant with Part 234 before train service is restored on this 
portion of the line.
    The reason given for the proposed changes is that, due to 
significant changes in traffic and operations, a signal system is no 
longer required. Additionally, the signal system on the line segment 
east of MP 334.6 is not operational, and the system would likely have 
to be replaced to make it operational.
    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 
party in the proceeding. Additionally, one copy of the protest shall be 
furnished to the applicant at the address listed above.
    All communications concerning this proceeding should be identified 
by the docket number and must be submitted to the Docket Clerk, DOT 
Central Docket Management Facility, Room PL-401 (Plaza Level), 400 7th 
Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001. Communications received within 
45 days of the date of this notice will be considered by the FRA before 
final action is taken. Comments received after that date will be 
considered as far as practicable. All written communications concerning 
these proceedings are available for examination during regular business 
hours (9 a.m.-5 p.m.) at the above facility. All documents in the 
public docket are also available for inspection and copying on the 
internet at the docket facility's Web site at http://dms.dot.gov.
    FRA wishes to inform all potential commenters that anyone is able 
to search the electronic form of all comments received into any of our 
dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment (or 
signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of an association, 
business, labor union, etc.). You may review DOT's complete Privacy Act 
Statement in the Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (Volume 
65, Number 70; Pages 19477-78) or you may visit http://dms.dot.gov.
    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, DC on August 1, 2006.
Grady C. Cothen, Jr.,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety, Standards and Program 
Development.
 [FR Doc. E6-12801 Filed 8-7-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P