[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 195 (Wednesday, October 13, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Page 56999]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-22238]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2010-0056]


BNSF Railway's Request for Testing Approval on Its Certified 
Positive Train Control System

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

ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: This document provides the public with notice that on August 
2, 2021, BNSF Railway (BNSF) submitted its Onboard Movement Authority 
with the Virtual Block System (OMA VBS) Afton Pilot Test Plan, Version 
1.2a, dated August 3, 2021, to FRA via the Secure Information 
Repository. BNSF asks FRA to approve its Test Plan, which includes 
changes to operating rules and procedures and dispatch processes, to 
test its OMA VBS on track that has been equipped with positive train 
control (PTC).

DATES: FRA will consider comments received by December 13, 2021 before 
taking final action on the Testing Plan. FRA may consider comments 
received after that date to the extent practicable and without delaying 
implementation of valuable or necessary modifications to a PTC system.

ADDRESSES: All comments concerning this proceeding should identify the 
agency name and Docket Number FRA-2010-0056, and may be submitted on 
https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for 
submitting comments. For convenience, all active PTC dockets are 
hyperlinked on FRA's website at https://railroads.dot.gov/train-control/ptc/ptc-annual-and-quarterly-reports. All comments received 
will be posted without change to https://www.regulations.gov; this 
includes any personal information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gabe Neal, Staff Director, Signal, 
Train Control, and Crossings Division, telephone: 816-516-7168, email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On April 29, 2021, FRA certified BNSF's 
Interoperable Electronic Train Management System (I-ETMS) PTC system 
per Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Section 236.1015. 
Pursuant to 49 CFR 236.1035, BNSF must request FRA-approval of any 
regression testing of a certified PTC system that is conducted on the 
general rail system. BNSF's Test Plan describes the level of testing of 
its OMA VBS required to confirm that software changes comply with the 
documented requirements outlined in the I-ETMS Onboard Segment 
Requirements Specifications.
    BNSF's Test Plan and accompanying request for approval are 
available for review online at www.regulations.gov (Docket Number FRA-
2010-0056). Interested parties are invited to comment on the Test Plan 
by submitting written comments or data. During its review of the Test 
Plan, FRA will consider any comments or data submitted. 49 CFR 
236.1011(e). However, FRA may elect not to respond to any particular 
comment and, under 49 CFR 236.1009(d)(3), FRA maintains the authority 
to approve or disapprove the Test Plan at its sole discretion.

Privacy Act Notice

    In accordance with 49 CFR 211.3, FRA solicits comments from the 
public to better inform its decisions. DOT posts these comments, 
without edit, including any personal information the commenter 
provides, to https://www.regulations.gov, as described in the system of 
records notice (DOT/ALL-14 FDMS), which can be reviewed at https://www.transportation.gov/privacy. See https://www.regulations.gov/privacy-notice for the privacy notice of regulations.gov. To facilitate 
comment tracking, we encourage commenters to provide their name, or the 
name of their organization; however, submission of names is completely 
optional. If you wish to provide comments containing proprietary or 
confidential information, please contact FRA for alternate submission 
instructions.

    Issued in Washington, DC.
Carolyn R. Hayward-Williams,
Director, Office of Railroad Systems and Technology.
[FR Doc. 2021-22238 Filed 10-12-21; 8:45 am]
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