[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 51 (Thursday, March 16, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16302-16303]
[FR Doc No: 2023-05370]

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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
February 22, 2023, 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 May 1, 2023. FRA may
consider comments received after that date to the extent practicable
and without delaying implementation of valuable or necessary
modifications to a signal or train control 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 host
railroad 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:<PHONE_NUMBER>, 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 February 22, 2023, 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
retire Walnut Interlocking from service, as Walnut Interlocking is no
longer required for service due to the installation of Civic
Interlocking and the modifications to Arsenal interlocking and the
surrounding infrastructure. Arsenal Interlocking is being upgraded to
microprocessor technology, and new Civic Interlocking is being
installed with new Microprocessors. Existing Walnut Interlocking is no
longer necessary.
    As this RFA involves a request for FRA's approval to discontinue or
modify a signal system, FRA is publishing this notice and invite 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. 2023-05370 Filed 3-15-23; 8:45 am]
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