[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 6 (Tuesday, January 9, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1718-1719]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-504]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[FRA Docket No. 87-2, Notice No. 10]
RIN 2130-AB20


Automatic Train Control (ATC) and Advanced Civil Speed 
Enforcement System (ACSES); Northeast Corridor (NEC) Railroads

AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Amendments to Order of Particular Applicability Requiring ACSES 
Between New Haven, Connecticut and Boston, Massachusetts--Massachusetts 
Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) Temporary Operating Protocols.

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SUMMARY: FRA amends its Order of Particular Applicability requiring all 
trains operating on the Northeast Corridor (NEC) between New Haven, 
Connecticut and Boston, Massachusetts (NEC--North End) to be equipped 
to respond to the new Advanced Civil Speed Enforcement System (ACSES) 
system. The amendments specify temporary operating protocols that will 
minimize the impact of ACSES on MBTA service during the initial 
implementation of ACSES on the NEC--North End.

DATES: The amendments to the Order are effective January 9, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: W. E. Goodman, Staff Director, Signal 
and Train Control Division, Office of Safety, Mail Stop 25, FRA, 1120 
Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20590 ((202) 493-6325); Paul Weber, 
Railroad Safety Specialist, Signal and Train Control Division, Office 
of Safety, Mail Stop 25, FRA, 1120 Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 
20590 ((202) 493-6258); or Patricia V. Sun, Office of Chief Counsel, 
Mail Stop 10, 1120 Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20590 ((202) 
493-6038).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Order of Particular Applicability, as 
published on July 22, 1998, set performance standards for cab signal/
automatic train control and ACSES systems, increased certain maximum 
authorized train speeds, and contained safety requirements supporting 
improved rail service on the NEC. 63 FR 39343. Among other 
requirements, the Order required all trains operating on track 
controlled by the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) 
between New Haven, Connecticut and Boston, Massachusetts (NEC--North 
End) to be controlled by locomotives equipped to respond to ACSES by 
October 1, 1999. In a later notice, FRA amended the Order to set a new 
implementation schedule and make technical changes. 65 FR 62795, 
October 19, 2000.

Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) Temporary Operating 
Protocols

    FRA is making the amendments to this Order effective upon 
publication instead of 30 days after the publication date in order to 
realize the significant safety and transportation benefits afforded by 
the ACSES system at the earliest possible time. All affected parties 
have been notified. The temporary protocols specified below will 
provide a safe, operationally sound transition to full ACSES 
implementation on MBTA territory while minimizing the impact on MBTA 
service. FRA is not reopening the comment period since these technical 
changes will be effective only until July 1, 2001.
    FRA expects MBTA to make every effort to run ACSES-equipped trains 
during the approximately six-month period that these protocols are in 
effect; this additional time should prove sufficient for MBTA to 
complete implementation of ACSES. However, if MBTA cannot dispatch a 
train equipped with ACSES, it may revert to the train control methods 
and maximum operating speeds in effect prior to the effective date of 
this Order.
     Accordingly, for the reasons stated in the preamble, the Final 
Order of Particular Applicability at 65 FR 62797-62799 (October 19, 
2000) (Order) is amended as follows:
    1. The authority for the Order continues to read as follows: 49 
U.S.C. 20103, 20107, 20501-20505 (1994); and 49 CFR 1.49(f), (g), and 
(m).
    2. The unnumbered paragraph of the Order at 65 FR 62798 that reads 
``Effective October 21, 2000, the following performance standards and 
special requirements shall apply, except for paragraph 9(b), which 
shall apply February 1, 2001.'' is deleted, and the following paragraph 
is inserted in its place: ``Effective October 21, 2000, the following 
performance standards and special requirements shall apply, except for 
paragraph 9(b), which shall apply February 1, 2001, and paragraph 11, 
which shall apply January 9, 2001.''.
    3. Paragraph 11 is added at the end of paragraph 10 of the Order at 
65 FR 62799, to read as follows:

11. Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) Temporary Operating 
Protocols

    (a) Effective upon January 9, 2001 until July 1, 2001, Amtrak must 
adhere to the following procedures if it becomes necessary to dispatch 
an MBTA train from its initial terminal with inoperative onboard ACSES 
equipment:
    (1) The train dispatcher must verbally authorize the movement;
    (2) The train dispatcher must issue a temporary speed restriction 
to limit the speed of high speed trains (Amtrak trains hauled by 
electric locomotives or electric power cars) to 110 miles per hour 
(mph) in the ACSES territory where the MBTA train with inoperative 
ACSES equipment will operate; and
    (3) Once the MBTA train with inoperative ACSES equipment is 
verified to have cleared the ACSES territory, the train dispatcher may 
cancel the 110-mph speed restriction.
    (b) The procedures set forth in subparagraph (a) of this paragraph 
must also be followed if it becomes necessary to dispatch an MBTA train 
from its initial terminal with a locomotive or control car that is not 
equipped with onboard ACSES equipment, if no ACSES-equipped MBTA 
locomotive or control car is available.
    (c) Amtrak must promptly notify the regional headquarters office 
for Region 1 of FRA's Office of Safety of any invocations of this 
protocol. Included in the notification must be the date, time, and 
location of the incident, and the reason for invoking the protocol.


[[Page 1719]]


    Issued in Washington, D.C. on January 3, 2001.
John V. Wells,
Acting Federal Railroad Administrator.
[FR Doc. 01-504 Filed 1-8-01; 8:45 am]
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