[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 71 (Friday, April 13, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18730-18731]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-7070]


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

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration


Notice of Application for Approval of Discontinuance or 
Modification of a Railroad Signal System or Relief From the 
Requirements of Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations Part 236

    Pursuant to Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part 235 and 
49 U.S.C. 20502(a), the following railroad has petitioned the Federal 
Railroad Administration (FRA) seeking approval for the discontinuance 
or modification of the signal system or relief from the requirements of 
49 CFR part 236 as detailed below.

[Docket Number FRA-2007-27287]

Applicant: BNSF Railway Company, Mr. Gregory C. Fox, Vice President 
Engineering, P.O. Box 961034, Fort Worth, Texas 76161-0034.

    BNSF Railway Company (BNSF) seeks relief from the requirements of 
the Rules, Standards and Instructions, Title 49 CFR part 236, Section 
236.377 Approach Locking, 236.378 Time locking, 236.379 Route Locking, 
236.380 Indication Locking, and 236.381 Traffic Locking, on processor-
based systems to the extent that only the following be required every 
four years after initial testing or program change:
    <bullet> Verification of the CRC/Check Sum/UCN of the existing 
location specific application logic to the previously tested version.
    <bullet> Tests on equipment outside the processor (switch 
indication, track indication, searchlight signal indication, approach 
locking (if external)) are verified to the processor's inputs and 
switch locking is tested from the processor's output to the switch 
machine.
    <bullet> Testing of the duration of any timers with variable 
settings.
    Applicant's justification for relief: Many of BNSF's interlockings 
and control points are controlled by solid-state processor-based 
systems. The 2-year signal locking tests for solid-state

[[Page 18731]]

interlockings required by the FRA place an undue burden on the 
railroad. Due to train traffic, some large control points can take a 
month or more to complete the 2-year locking tests. Once a processor-
based system has been tested and locking tests documented on 
installation, re-testing should not be required since the logic 
continues to operate in the same manor as it did when installed and the 
operation does not change.
    Any interested party desiring to protest the granting of an 
application shall set forth specifically the grounds upon which the 
protest is made, and include a concise statement of the interest of the 
party in the proceeding. Additionally, one copy of the protest shall be 
furnished to the applicant at the address listed above.
    All communications concerning this proceeding should be identified 
by docket number FRA-2007-27287 and may be submitted by one of the 
following methods:
    <bullet> Web site: http://dms.dot.gov. Follow the instructions for 
submitting comments on the DOT electronic site;
    <bullet> Fax: 202-493-2251;
    <bullet> Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Nassif Building, Room PL-401, 
Washington, DC 20590-0001; or
    <bullet> Hand Delivery: Room PL-401 on the Plaza Level of the 
Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC, between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    Communications received within 45 days of the date of this notice 
will be considered by the FRA before final action is taken. Comments 
received after that date will be considered as far as practicable. All 
written communications concerning these proceedings are available for 
examination during regular business hours (9 a.m.-5 p.m.) at the above 
facility. All documents in the public docket are also available for 
inspection and copying on the Internet at the docket facility's Web 
site at http://dms.dot.gov.
    FRA wishes to inform all potential commenters that anyone is able 
to search the electronic form of all comments received into any of our 
dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment (or 
signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of an association, 
business, labor union, etc.). You may review DOT's complete Privacy Act 
Statement in the Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (Volume 
65, Number 70; Pages 19477-78) or you may visit http://dms.dot.gov.
    FRA expects to be able to determine these matters without an oral 
hearing. However, if a specific request for an oral hearing is 
accompanied by a showing that the party is unable to adequately present 
his or her position by written statements, an application may be set 
for public hearing.

    Issued in Washington, DC on April 9, 2007.
Grady C. Cothen, Jr.,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety Standards and Program 
Development.
 [FR Doc. E7-7070 Filed 4-12-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P