82 FR 43657 - Notice of Application for Approval To Discontinue or Modify a Railroad Signal System

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 179 (September 18, 2017)

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 179 (Monday, September 18, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43657-43658]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-19685]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket Number FRA-2017-0082]


Notice of Application for Approval To Discontinue or Modify a 
Railroad Signal System

    Under part 235 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 
and 49 U.S.C. 20502(a), this document provides the public notice that 
on August 21, 2017, the Denver Regional Transportation District 
Commuter Rail (RTDC) petitioned the Federal Railroad Administration 
(FRA) seeking approval to discontinue or modify a signal system. FRA 
assigned the petition Docket Number FRA-2017-0082.
    Applicant: Regional Transportation District Commuter Rail, Mr. 
Allen W. Miller, Senior Manager, Commuter Rail, Contracted Services, 
1560 Broadway, Suite 600, Denver, Colorado 80202.
    The Regional Transportation District (RTD) is the owner of the line 
segment and BNSF Railway (BNSF) and the National Railroad Passenger 
Corporation (Amtrak) are the operators. RTDC seeks to modify the 
Automatic Block Signal (ABS) and Traffic Control System (TCS) on the 
BNSF and RTDC line segment between the 41D and 43D derails, switch 29, 
and the 8S signal, on the East and West Yard Track segments near Denver 
Union Station (DUS) Interlocking, between MP 0.00 and MP 0.49.
    The application states that BNSF uses this 500-foot line segment 
between the 41D and 43D derails, switch 29, and the 8S signal primarily 
for locomotive switching moves and Amtrak operates on this line segment 
to move in and out of DUS Tracks #4 and #5 for passenger operations.
    The current signal system design uses the 41D, East yard track, and 
43D West yard track, switch indication lights to govern traffic in 
advance of the derails on the yard tracks and in approach to the 8S 
signal at DUS Interlocking. The 41D and 43D derails and switch 29 are 
interlocked with the 8S signal at DUS Interlocking. The violation of 
the 8S signal, toward DUS, is safeguarded by the 49D derail.
    Disconnecting the circuitry of the 41D and 43D derail and switch 29 
from 8S signal at DUS Interlocking is proposed in order to comply with 
provisions of 49 CFR part 236. The application goes on to describe the 
work that would be done if approved. All existing home signals will be 
retained. The 41D and 43D derails, switch 29, and associated switch 
indication lights will remain powered but will be controlled and 
monitored independently from the DUS Interlocking. The movement of 
switch 29 will be electrically tied to the 41D and 43D derails. 
Positioning of switch 29 will be determined by the position of the 
corresponding derail, aligning to the derail which is in the non-
derailing position and locked. Although the switch and derails will be 
removed from the DUS Interlocking logics, a minimum of two indications 
from switch 29--switch position and the locked indication--will be 
established in order to provide safe routing through DUS between the 
platform and beyond the 41D and 43D derails in both directions. The 
design will be fail-safe. Sufficient provision will exist to protect 
unauthorized access to DUS Interlocking via the 49D derail to protect 
against any train that may violate the 8S signal at DUS Interlocking. 
As an additional safety measure a minimum of 100 feet of center gauge 
restraining rail will be installed south of the 49D derail, toward DUS, 
to protect against incursion into the RTDC tracks.
    The reasons given by RTDC for the proposed changes are improvements 
to reliability and safety, expedited train movements, and compliance 
with 49

[[Page 43658]]

CFR part 236 for present train operations.
    A copy of the petition, as well as any written communications 
concerning the petition, is available for review online at 
www.regulations.gov and in person at the U.S. Department of 
Transportation's Docket Operations Facility, 1200 New Jersey Avenue 
SE., W12-140, Washington, DC 20590. The Docket Operations Facility is 
open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
Holidays.
    Interested parties are invited to participate in these proceedings 
by submitting written views, data, or comments. FRA does not anticipate 
scheduling a public hearing in connection with these proceedings since 
the facts do not appear to warrant a hearing. If any interested parties 
desire an opportunity for oral comment, they should notify FRA, in 
writing, before the end of the comment period and specify the basis for 
their request.
    All communications concerning these proceedings should identify the 
appropriate docket number and may be submitted by any of the following 
methods:
     Web site: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online 
instructions for submitting comments.
     Fax: 202-493-2251.
     Mail: Docket Operations Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., W12-140, Washington, DC 
20590.
     Hand Delivery: 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Room W12-140, 
Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal Holidays.
    Communications received by November 2, 2017 will be considered by 
FRA before final action is taken. Comments received after that date 
will be considered if practicable.
    Anyone can search the electronic form of any written communications 
and comments received into any of our dockets by the name of the 
individual submitting the comment (or signing the document, if 
submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.). 
Under 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits comments from the public to better 
inform its processes. DOT posts these comments, without edit, including 
any personal information the commenter provides, to 
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 also https://www.regulations.gov/privacyNotice for the 
privacy notice of regulations.gov.

Robert C. Lauby,
Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety, Chief Safety Officer.
[FR Doc. 2017-19685 Filed 9-15-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-06-P