[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 232 (Tuesday, December 2, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 73381]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-28568]


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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 railroad has petitioned the Federal 
Railroad Administration (FRA) seeking approval for the discontinuance 
or modification of a signal system, or relief from the requirements of 
49 CFR part 236 as detailed below.

Docket Number FRA-2008-0134

    Applicant: Southern California Regional Rail Authority, Mr. Darrell 
J. Maxey, P. E., Director, Engineering and Construction, 700 S. Flower 
Street, 26th Floor, Los Angeles, California 90017.
    The Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA) seeks 
relief from the requirements of the Rules, Standards, and Instructions, 
title 49 CFR part 236, section 236.504, Operation interconnected with 
automatic block-signal system; and Section 236.566, Locomotive of each 
train operating in train stop, train control, or cab signal territory 
equipped.
    The application seeks approval to expand the locations of the 
intermittent inert ATS inductor territory both within the Orange 
Subdivision and beyond the Orange and River Subdivision to SCRRA's four 
other Subdivisions with passenger operations. SCRRA is proposing to 
modify the previous ATS/BNSF criteria for installing inert ATS 
inductors on the approach to 4 degree or greater curves. The new 
criteria would be to install inert inductors in approach of 20 miles 
per hour (mph) or greater permanent speed reductions. Freight train 
locomotives would not be equipped per the current operating convention.
    The new criteria would result in the following additional 43 inert 
ATS inductor installations for eastward and westward movements:
    Valley Subdivision--14 (7 West and 7 East).
    Ventura Subdivision--4 (2 West and 2 East).
    Olive Subdivision--1 (1 East).
    San Gabriel Subdivision--12 (7 West and 5 East).
    Orange Subdivision--12 (7 West and 5 East).
    Applicant's justification for relief: SCRRA feels that the 
justification for installing additional inert inductors is as follows:
    1. Provides increased situational awareness for passenger train 
engine men approaching (20 mph or greater) civil speed reductions.
    2. Compatible with existing SCRRA and Amtrak passenger train ATS 
equipped fleet.
    3. Wayside inert ATS inductors can be designed, procured, and 
installed in 9 months or less.
    4. Minimal changes required to existing SCRRA operating practices.
    5. Simplified design, procurement and installation process allows 
SCRRA resources to be devoted to deploying Positive Train Control 
(PTC).
    6. Inert inductors can be easily removed when PTC with active civil 
speed enforcement is deployed.
    Interested parties are invited to participate in these proceedings 
by submitting written views, data, or comments. FRA does not anticipate 
scheduling a public hearing in connection with these proceedings since 
the facts do not appear to warrant a hearing. If any interested party 
desires an opportunity for oral comment, they should notify FRA, in 
writing, before the end of the comment period and specify the basis for 
their request.
    Any interested party desiring to protest the granting of an 
application shall set forth specifically the grounds upon which the 
protest is made, and it shall 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 these proceedings should be 
identified by Docket Number FRA-2008-0134 and may be submitted by any 
of the following methods:
     Web site: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online 
instructions for submitting comments.
     Fax: 202-493-2251.
     Mail: Docket Operations Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., W12-140, Washington, DC 
20590.
     Hand Delivery: 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Room W12-140, 
Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal Holidays.
    Communications received within 30 days of the date of this notice 
will be considered by 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://www.regulations.gov.
    Anyone is able to search the electronic form of any written 
communications and 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).

    Issued in Washington, DC on November 25, 2008.
Grady C. Cothen, Jr.,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety Standards and Program 
Development.
 [FR Doc. E8-28568 Filed 12-1-08; 8:45 am]
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