[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 216 (Thursday, November 9, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 77417]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-24844]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2010-0044]


Trinity Railway Express's Request for Approval To Begin Field 
Testing on Its Positive Train Control Network

AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), 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 October 
28, 2023, Trinity Railway Express (TRE) submitted a request to field 
test trains on TRE's positive train control (PTC)-equipped Silver Line 
subdivision, which is equipped with the Interoperable Electronic Train 
Management System (I-ETMS). TRE's October 2023 test request also 
withdraws its pending test request that it had previously filed with 
FRA on August 29, 2023. FRA is publishing this notice and inviting 
public comment on TRE's request to test its PTC system on the Silver 
Line subdivision.

DATES: FRA will consider comments received by January 8, 2024. FRA may 
consider comments received after that date to the extent practicable 
and without delaying 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). On October 
28, 2023, TRE withdrew its pending joint test request that it submitted 
on August 29, 2023, which had a comment period ending on November 13, 
2023. See 88 FR 62426 (Sept. 11, 2023). TRE submitted a new test 
request that identifies the Silver Line subdivision as part of its own 
territory, rather than a separate entity. TRE's test request includes a 
complete description of TRE's Concept of Operations and its specific 
test procedures, including the measures that will be taken to ensure 
safety during testing. TRE's test request is available for review 
online at https://www.regulations.gov in Docket No. FRA-2010-0044.
    Interested parties are invited to comment on TRE's 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, 
without delaying testing of valuable or necessary modifications to a 
PTC system. See 49 CFR 236.1035. 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 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. 2023-24844 Filed 11-8-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P