Document ID: FRA-2007-29118-0003
Agency: fra
Document Type: Notice
Title: Traffic control systems; discontinuance or modification: Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Co.
Posted Date: 2007-10-11T04:00Z

[Federal Register: October 11, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 196)]
[Notices]               
[Page 57989-57990]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr11oc07-113]                         

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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-2007-29118

    Applicant: Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company, Mr. John B. 
Mitchell, Assistant Chief Engineer, C&S, 32 Cobble Hill Road, Suite 3, 
Somerville, Massachusetts 02143-4431.
    The Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company (MBCR) seeks 
approval of the modification of existing signal system and proposed 
discontinuance and removal of 26 automatic color light signals. The 
signal modification on Track 1 and Track 2 of the Fairmont Commuter 
Rail Line, also known as the Dorchester Branch, owned by the 
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), extends from South 
Bay Interlocking (Milepost 226.82) to Dana Interlocking (Milepost 
220.0), Boston, Massachusetts.
    The reason given for the proposed changes is to facilitate train 
movements around an MBTA bridge rehabilitation project consisting of 
three bridges on the Dorchester Branch, as well as to retire a signal 
system comprised of phase selective track circuitry, mechanical relays, 
and traffic control circuitry that runs through line wire and cables. 
The project will modify the entire system from a Northeast Operating 
Rules Advisory Committee (NORAC) Rule 261 system to a NORAC Rule 562 
System (cab signals without fixed automatic block signals).
    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.
    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/her position by written statements, an application may be set for 
public hearing.
    All communications concerning this proceeding should identify the 
appropriate docket number (FRA-2007-29118) and may be submitted by one 
of the following methods:
    Web site: http://dms.dot.gov. Follow the instructions for 

submitting comments on the DOT electronic site;
    Fax: 202-493-2251;
    Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., West Building Ground 
Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590; or
    Hand Delivery: Room W12-140 of the U.S. Department of 
Transportation West Building Ground Floor, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 
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 FRA before final action is taken. Comments 
received after that date will be considered to the extent 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.

    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

[[Page 57990]]

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.

    Issued in Washington, DC on October 3, 2007.
Grady C. Cothen, Jr.,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety Standards and Program 
Development.
[FR Doc. E7-19988 Filed 10-10-07; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910-06-P