[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 183 (Thursday, September 22, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Page 57970]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-20509]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2010-0036]


Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority's Request To 
Amend Its Positive Train Control Implementation Plan, Including a 
Request for Approval of a Discontinuance or Modification of a Railroad 
Signal 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 July 
27, 2022, and supplemented on August 4, 2022, the Southeastern 
Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) submitted a request for 
amendment (RFA) to its FRA-approved Positive Train Control 
Implementation Plan (PTCIP). The RFA includes a petition seeking 
approval to discontinue or modify a signal system. On August 17, 2022, 
FRA approved, in part, SEPTA's RFA to its PTCIP; however, FRA did not 
provide a decision on SEPTA's request to discontinue or modify a 
portion of its signal system at that time, as FRA must seek public 
comment on that aspect before issuing a decision.

DATES: FRA will consider comments received by November 7, 2022. FRA may 
consider comments received after that date to the extent practicable 
and without delaying implementation of valuable or necessary 
modifications to a signal 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 the host 
railroad that filed this RFA to its PTCIP is Docket No. FRA-2010-0036. 
For convenience, all active PTC dockets are hyperlinked on FRA's 
website at https://railroads.dot.gov/train-control/ptc/ptc-annual-and-quarterly-reports. 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 PTCIP, a host 
railroad must submit, and obtain FRA's approval of, an RFA to its PTCIP 
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 discontinuance or material modification of a signal and 
train control system. Accordingly, this notice informs the public that, 
on July 27, 2022, 2022, SEPTA submitted an RFA to its PTCIP for its 
Advanced Civil Speed Enforcement System II (ACSES II) and that RFA is 
available in Docket No. FRA-2010-0036.
    Specifically, under 49 CFR 236.1021(c), SEPTA requested approval to 
discontinue the MB and 6N signals at Control Point (CP) South Elwyn 
located at milepost (MP) 15.9 and the 1660 automatic signal located at 
MP 16.6 in approach to CP South Elwyn on its West Chester Line. SEPTA 
also proposed to make the method of operation between CP Elwyn (MP 
15.3) and CP Wawa (MP 18.07) by signal indication of a traffic control 
system, without fixed automatic block signals, supplemented by a cab 
signal and ACSES II PTC system. SEPTA states that the signals at CP 
South Elwyn are no longer needed as new signals have been installed at 
CP Lenni North, located at MP 17.59, which will now control the 
direction of the signal system traffic. In addition, with the extension 
of passenger service to Wawa station, SEPTA will no longer have an 
operational need to turn or hold trains at CP South Elwyn. With the 
installation of a cab signal and ACSES II PTC system between CP Elwyn 
and CP Wawa, SEPTA's 1660 automatic signal is no longer required.
    As this RFA involves a request for FRA's approval to discontinue or 
modify a signal system, FRA is publishing this notice and inviting 
public comment on the railroad's request to discontinue or modify a 
signal system.
    Interested parties are invited to comment on SEPTA's RFA to its 
PTCIP by submitting written comments or data. During FRA's review of 
this railroad'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). Under 49 CFR 236.1021, FRA maintains the authority to 
approve, approve with conditions, or deny a railroad's RFA to its PTCIP 
at FRA's 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. 2022-20509 Filed 9-21-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P


