[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 59 (Tuesday, March 26, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21166-21167]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-06414]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket Number FRA-2010-0030]


Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's Request To Amend Its 
Positive Train Control System

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 March 
15, 2024, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) 
submitted a request for amendment (RFA) to its FRA-certified positive 
train control (PTC) system to install Automatic Train Control (ATC) on 
the final segment of MBTA's Needham Line. The construction zone will 
cover ATC implementation from the Need Interlocking at Milepost (MP) 
11.9 to Control Point (CP) Land at MP 13.8, and is planned to occur 
from June 20, 2024, to July 22, 2024. FRA is publishing this notice and 
inviting public comment on MBTA's RFA to its PTC system.

DATES: FRA will consider comments received by April 15, 2024. 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: 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-2010-0030. For convenience, all active PTC 
dockets are hyperlinked on FRA's website at https://railroads.dot.gov/research-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. Before making certain changes to an FRA-
certified PTC system or the associated FRA-approved PTC Safety Plan 
(PTCSP), a host railroad must submit, and obtain FRA's approval of, an 
RFA to its PTC system or PTCSP under 49 CFR 236.1021.
    Under 49 CFR 236.1021(e), FRA's regulations provide that FRA will 
publish a notice in the Federal Register and invite public comment in 
accordance with 49 CFR part 211, if an RFA includes a request for 
approval of a material modification of a signal or train control 
system. Accordingly, this notice informs the public that, on March 15, 
2024, MBTA submitted an RFA to its PTCSP for its Advanced Civil Speed

[[Page 21167]]

Enforcement System II (ACSES II), which seeks FRA's approval to install 
ATC on the final segment of MBTA's Needham Line. The construction zone 
will cover ATC implementation from the Need Interlocking at MP 11.9 to 
CP Land at MP 13.8. ATC installation is planned to occur from June 20, 
2024, to July 22, 2024. This RFA is available in Docket No. FRA-2010-
0030.
    Interested parties are invited to comment on MBTA's RFA by 
submitting written comments or data. During review of MBTA's RFA, FRA 
will consider any comments or data submitted within the timeline 
specified in this notice and to the extent practicable, without 
delaying implementation of valuable or necessary modifications to a PTC 
system. See 49 CFR 236.1021; see also 49 CFR 236.1011(e). Under 49 CFR 
236.1021, FRA maintains the authority to approve, approve with 
conditions, or deny a railroad's RFA at FRA's 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. 2024-06414 Filed 3-25-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P