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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 238 (Wednesday, December 11, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Page 99962]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-29083]

[[Page 99962]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket Number FRA-2018-0012]

TEXRail's Request To Amend Its Positive Train Control Safety Plan 
and 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 October 
31, 2024, TEXRail (TEX) submitted its Positive Train Control Safety 
Plan (PTCSP), Version 2.0, dated October 9, 2024, to FRA's Secure 
Information Repository. TEX asks FRA to approve its updated PTCSP and 
certify TEX's Interoperable Electronic Train Management System (I-ETMS) 
as a ``mixed'' positive train control (PTC) system. As this RFA may 
involve a request for FRA's approval of proposed material modifications 
to an FRA-certified PTC system, FRA is publishing this notice and 
inviting public comment on TEX's RFA to its PTCSP.

DATES: FRA will consider comments received by February 10, 2025 before 
taking final action on the PTCSP. 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 
railroad is Docket No. FRA-2018-0012. 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 PTCSP, a host 
railroad must submit, and obtain FRA's approval of, an RFA to its 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 October 
31, 2024, TEX submitted an RFA to its PTCSP for its I-ETMS PTC system 
which seeks FRA's approval to change the classification of its PTC 
system to a Mixed PTC system. In its PTCSP, TEX asserts that the I-ETMS 
PTC system it is implementing is a mixed PTC system as defined in Title 
49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 236.1015(e). The PTCSP describes 
TEX's I-ETMS implementation and the associated I-ETMS safety processes, 
safety analyses, and test, validation, and verification processes used 
during the development of I-ETMS. The PTCSP also contains TEX's 
operational and support requirements and procedures. That RFA is 
available in Docket No. FRA-2018-0012. Interested parties are invited 
to comment on TEX's RFA to its PTCSP by submitting written comments or 
data. During FRA's review of TEX'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). However, FRA may elect not to respond to any 
particular comment, and under 49 CFR 236.1009(d)(3), FRA maintains the 
authority to approve or disapprove the PTCSP 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. 2024-29083 Filed 12-10-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P
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