[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 121 (Thursday, June 25, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Page 38469]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2026-12852]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket Number FRA-2010-0011]
Notice of Petition for Extension of Waiver of Compliance
AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This document provides the public notice that Norfolk Southern
Railway Company (NS) petitioned FRA for an extension of relief from
certain regulations concerning periodic testing requirements on vital
microprocessor-based systems.
DATES: FRA must receive comments on the petition by August 24, 2026.
FRA will consider comments received after that date to the extent
practicable.
ADDRESSES:
Comments: Comments related to this docket 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
docket number. All comments received will be posted without change to
https://www.regulations.gov; this includes any personal information.
Please see the Privacy Act heading in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
section of this document for Privacy Act information related to any
submitted comments or materials.
Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or
comments received, go to https://www.regulations.gov and follow the
online instructions for accessing the docket.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Scott Johnson, Railroad Safety
Specialist, FRA Signal, Train Control, and Crossings Division,
telephone: 406-657-6642, email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under part 211 of title 49 Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR), this document provides the public notice that by
letter dated May 8, 2026, NS petitioned FRA for an extension of a
waiver of compliance from certain provisions of the Federal railroad
safety regulations contained at 49 CFR part 236 (Rules, Standards, and
Instructions Governing the Installation, Inspection, Maintenance, and
Repair of Signal and Train Control Systems, Devices, and Appliances).
The relevant Docket Number is FRA-2010-0011.
Specifically, NS seeks an extension of relief from the 2-year
periodic testing requirements in Sec. Sec. 236.377, Approach locking;
236.378, Time locking; 236.379, Route locking; 236.380, Indication
locking; and 236.381, Traffic locking, related to vital microprocessor-
based systems. The existing relief extends the testing requirements in
these sections from ``at least once every 2 years'' to every 4 years,
after initial testing is completed. In its petition, NS stated that the
waiver ``supports efficient testing practices while maintaining the
integrity and safety of vital signal system operations.''
A copy of the petition, as well as any written communications
concerning the petition, is available for review online at
www.regulations.gov.
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 and a public hearing, they
should notify FRA, in writing, before the end of the comment period and
specify the basis for their request.
Communications received by August 24, 2026 will be considered by
FRA before final action is taken. Comments received after that date
will be considered if practicable. Privacy Act
Anyone can search the electronic form of any written communications
and comments received into any of FRA's 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.).
Under 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits comments from the public to inform
its processes. DOT posts these comments, without edit, including any
personal information the commenter provides, to 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 also https://www.regulations.gov/privacy-notice for the privacy notice of
regulations.gov.
Issued in Washington, DC.
John Karl Alexy,
Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety, Chief Safety Officer.
[FR Doc. 2026-12852 Filed 6-24-26; 8:45 am]
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