[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 74 (Tuesday, April 17, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 22843]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-9115]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket Number FRA-2012-0020]


Notice of Product Development

    In accordance with Part 211 of Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations 
(CFR), this document provides the public notice that by a document 
dated February 17, 2012, the Union Pacific Railroad (UP) and the 
National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) have provided the 
Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) a Notice of Product Development 
per 49 CFR 236.913(d)(1)(i) for the modification of the Incremental 
Train Control System (ITCS). FRA has assigned the petition Docket 
Number FRA-2012-0020.
    UP, Amtrak, and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) 
plan to conduct demonstration high-speed passenger train operations 
over a portion of the corridor between Chicago, IL, and St. Louis, MO, 
as part of the high-speed rail (HSR) program. The demonstration 
segments are on UP's Joliet Subdivision, between Control Point (CP) 
X073 South Dwight, milepost (MP) 72.81; and CP X093 Pontiac, MP 92.48.
    This modification of ITCS is in furtherance of the High-Speed Rail 
2A Route Construction Agreement or the ``2A Agreement.'' High-speed 
passenger trains will operate up to 110 mph on UP's portion of the 2A 
route. UP freight trains will continue to operate at speeds not to 
exceed 60 mph.
    The scope of the work for the 2A Agreement requires UP to design, 
procure, and install:
    1. Cab signal fixed equipment in an initial segment between Dwight 
and Pontiac.
    2. A train control system meeting Positive Train Control (PTC) 
requirements on the entire UP portion of the route, in accordance with 
Federal regulations.
    Because the proposed system does not meet the statutory and 
regulatory requirements for PTC systems, and does not interoperate with 
the same, UP and Amtrak plan to seek FRA approval for its operation 
under Part 236, Subpart H.
    Operation on the demonstration segment will be under the 
centralized traffic control rules of the General Code of Operating 
Rules. UP freight trains will use automatic cab signals (ACS), 
consistent with the operation on its other ACS territories that do not 
provide speed control. Amtrak passenger trains will use the speed 
control function of the automatic train control onboard their 
locomotives, which provides enforcement of speed limits associated with 
signal indications. UP and Amtrak are the only operators on the 
demonstration segment.
    ITCS will provide a mechanism for safe activation of highway-grade 
crossing warning devices by passenger trains operating in excess of 79 
mph. In addition, the two-way communications feature of ITCS allows 
crossing health and status information to be provided to approaching 
ITCS equipped trains.
    A copy of the notice, as well as any written communications 
concerning the notice, is available for review online at 
www.regulations.gov and in person at the U.S. Department of 
Transportation's (DOT) Docket Operations Facility, 1200 New Jersey 
Avenue SE., W12-140, Washington, DC 20590. The Docket Operations 
Facility is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays.
    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.
    All communications concerning these proceedings should identify the 
appropriate docket number 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 by June 1, 2012 will be considered by FRA 
before final action is taken. Comments received after that date will be 
considered as far as practicable.
    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), or online at http://www.dot.gov/privacy.html.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on April 11, 2012.
Ron Hynes,
Acting Deputy Associate Administrator for Regulatory and Legislative 
Operations.
[FR Doc. 2012-9115 Filed 4-16-12; 8:45 am]
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