SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Under part 235 of title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) and 49 U.S.C. 20502(a), this document provides the public notice that by letter dated April 19, 2026, NS petitioned FRA seeking approval to discontinue or modify a signal system. FRA assigned the petition Docket Number FRA-2026-2377.

Specifically, NS requests to discontinue legacy cab signal systems and transition the subject territory to a block system implementation enforced by positive train control (PTC). The change would be implemented on 14 line segments and would eliminate redundancy between PTC and cab signaling.

NS states that the discontinuance will maintain and enhance operational safety in the area by “consolidating movement authority supervision and speed enforcement” into NS's existing PTC system. This is intended to “reduc[e] the potential for conflicting indications between parallel systems” and “eliminat[e] failure modes associated with coded track-circuit cab signal transmission.”

A copy of the petition, as well as any written communications concerning the petition, is available for review online at www.regulations.gov.

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 party desires an opportunity for oral comment and a public hearing, they should notify FRA, in writing, before the end of the comment period and specify the basis for their request.

Communications received by November 9, 2026 will be considered by FRA before final action is taken. Comments received after that date will be considered if practicable.

Privacy Act

Anyone can search the electronic form of any written communications and comments received into any of FRA's 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 www.transportation.gov/​privacy. See also www.regulations.gov/​privacy-notice for the privacy notice of regulations.gov.

91 FR 57439