[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 174 (Monday, September 11, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62426-62427]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-19520]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2010-0044]


Trinity Railway Express and the Silver Line's Joint Request for 
Approval To Conduct Positive Train Control Field Testing

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

ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This document provides the public with notice that on August 
29, 2023, Trinity Railway Express (TRE) submitted a request together 
with the Silver Line (SLVR) to field test trains on TRE's positive 
train control (PTC)-equipped territory, which is equipped with the 
Interoperable Electronic Train Management System (I-ETMS). FRA is 
publishing this notice and inviting public comment on TRE and SLVR's 
joint request to test I-ETMS.

DATES: FRA will consider comments received by November 13, 2023. FRA 
may consider comments received after that date to the extent 
practicable and without delaying testing or implementation of a PTC 
system.

ADDRESSES: 
    Comments: Comments may be submitted by going to https://www.regulations.gov and following the online instructions for 
submitting comments.
    Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and the 
applicable docket number. The relevant PTC docket number for this host 
railroad is Docket No. FRA-2010-0044. For convenience, all active PTC 
documents are hyperlinked on FRA's website at https://railroads.dot.gov/reserch-development/program-areas/train-control/ptc/railroads-ptc-dockets. 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: In general, title 49 United States Code 
(U.S.C.) section 20157(h) requires FRA to certify that a host 
railroad's PTC system complies with title 49 Code of Federal 
Regulations (CFR) part 236, subpart I, before the technology may be 
operated in revenue service. On December 23, 2020, FRA certified TRE's 
I-ETMS PTC system under 49 CFR 236.1015 and 49 U.S.C. 20157(h). 
Pursuant to 49 CFR 236.1035, a railroad must obtain FRA's approval 
before field testing an uncertified PTC system, or a product of an 
uncertified PTC system, or any regression testing of a certified PTC 
system on the general rail system. See 49 CFR 236.1035(a). The joint 
test request, including a complete description of the Concept of 
Operations and specific test procedures that document the measures that 
will be taken to ensure safety during testing, are available for review 
online at https://www.regulations.gov in Docket No. FRA-2010-0044.
    Interested parties are invited to comment on the test request by 
submitting written comments or data. During its review of the test 
request, FRA will consider any comments or data submitted within the 
timeline specified in this notice and to the extent practicable. FRA, 
however, may elect not to respond to any particular comment, and under 
49 CFR 236.1035, FRA maintains the authority to approve, approve with 
conditions, or deny the test request at its sole discretion.

Privacy Act Notice

    In accordance with 49 CFR 211.3, FRA solicits comments from the 
public

[[Page 62427]]

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. 2023-19520 Filed 9-8-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P