[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 125 (Monday, June 30, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36862-36863]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-15232]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration


Notice of Application for Approval of Railroad Safety Program 
Plans and Product Safety Plans

    In accordance with Part 236 of Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations 
and 49 U.S.C. 20502(a), this document provides the public notice that 
by documents dated March 31, 2014, the railroads listed below have 
petitioned the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for approval of 
their Railroad Safety Program Plans (RSPP) and Product Safety Plans 
(PSP) for the Railsoft TrackAccess system. FRA assigned the petitions 
the following docket numbers:
     Kettle Falls International Railway: FRA-2014-0049.
     Georgia & Florida Railway: FRA-2014-0050.
     Nebraska, Kansas & Colorado Railway: FRA-2014-0052.
     Panhandle Northern Railroad: FRA-2014-0053.
     Illinois Railway: FRA-2014-0051.
    TrackAccess is a processor-based dispatch system developed for 
operation in autonomous mode (without dispatcher intervention) for low-
density rail lines. The system provides a processor-based methodology 
of requesting and issuing track authority to either qualified train 
crewmembers or roadway workers. It does so while increasing railroad 
productivity and significantly improving the safety of train 
operations, roadway workers, and other railway equipment.
    FRA is providing public notice that the railroads' RSPPs and 
related documents have been placed in the dockets listed above and are 
available for public inspection. FRA is not accepting public comment on 
the RSPP documents; notice regarding these documents is provided for 
information only.
    FRA is accepting comments on the PSPs for each railroad, which are 
posted in the dockets listed above for public inspection. The railroads 
assert that their RSPPs and PSPs contain the same information and 
analysis as the Alabama & Tennessee River Railway's (ATN) RSPP Revision 
1, dated February 16, 2009, and the ATN PSP Revision 1, dated March 15, 
2012. The ATN RSPP Revision 1 and the ATN PSP Revision 1 were 
previously approved by FRA on January 28, 2014 (Docket FRA-2013-0088).
    The PSPs provide descriptions of the TrackAccess system. The 
railroads state that in the case of ATN, FRA found that the PSP 
demonstrates that TrackAccess was designed in a highly safe manner and 
was sufficiently tested to verify that fact. FRA approved the use of 
TrackAccess in autonomous mode for ATN. The railroads assert that since 
their RSPPs and PSPs contain the same programmatic and technical 
information as the FRA-approved ATN RSPP Revision 1 and PSP Revision 1, 
including autonomous TrackAccess operations, these railroads should 
also be allowed to use TrackAccess in an autonomous mode.
    Copies of the petitions, as well as any written communications 
concerning the petitions, are 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 August 14, 2014 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

[[Page 36863]]

communications and comments received into any of our dockets by the 
name of the individual submitting the comment (or signing the document, 
if submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.). 
See http://www.regulations.gov/#!privacyNotice for the privacy notice 
of regulations.gov or interested parties may review DOT's complete 
Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on April 11, 
2000 (65 FR 19477).

    Issued in Washington, DC, on June 20, 2014.
Ron Hynes,
Director, Office of Safety Assurance and Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2014-15232 Filed 6-27-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P