Railroad Safety Advisory Committee (RSAC); Working Group Activity Update, 55823-55825 [06-8124]
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 185 / Monday, September 25, 2006 / Notices
2000 (65 FR 19476). This statement is
also available at https://dms.dot.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
Michael Huntley, Division Chief,
Vehicle and Roadside Operations
Division (MC–PSV), Office of Bus and
Truck Standards and Operations, phone
(202) 366–4001, e-mail MCPSV@dot.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with NOTICES
Background
On October 21, 1974, the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
issued final regulations establishing the
Interstate Motor Carrier Noise Emission
Standards for maximum external noise
emissions of motor vehicles having a
gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) or a
gross combination weight rating
(GCWR) of more than 10,000 pounds
that are operated by commercial motor
carriers engaged in interstate commerce
(39 FR 38208). These regulations were
issued under the authority of section 18
of the Noise Control Act of 1972, which
also directed the Secretary of
Transportation to promulgate
regulations to ensure compliance with
the EPA standards.
On February 28, 1975, the Federal
Highway Administration (FHWA)
published in the Federal Register (40
FR 8658) a text of proposed regulations
establishing measurement
methodologies for determining whether
commercial motor vehicles (CMV)
conform to the Interstate Motor Carrier
Noise Emission Standards published by
the EPA at 40 CFR part 202. FHWA
published final regulations on
September 12, 1975 (40 FR 42432). The
new requirements, found at 29 CFR
325.91, became effective on October 15,
1975.
The current requirements of
§ 325.91—unchanged since their
adoption in 1975—were established to
support enforcement of EPA’s Interstate
Motor Carrier Noise Emission
Standards. While the corresponding
section of the EPA regulation requires
CMVs with a GVWR or GCWR of more
than 10,000 pounds which are operated
by interstate motor carriers to be ‘‘
* * * equipped with a muffler or other
noise dissipative device; * * *’’, the
language adopted by FHWA in § 325.91
requires the same vehicles to be ‘‘ * * *
equipped with either a muffler or other
noise dissipative device, such as a
turbocharger (supercharger driven by
exhaust gases) * * *.’’
It is not clear why the language that
was adopted in § 325.91 is largely
identical to that established by EPA
except that it additionally considers a
turbocharger to be a noise dissipative
device under § 325.91(b). There is no
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17:46 Sep 22, 2006
Jkt 208001
discussion in the preambles to either the
February 1975 notice of proposed
rulemaking or in the September 1975
final rule explaining why turbochargers
were specifically included in the list of
noise dissipative devices. In its petition,
the Truck Manufacturers Association
(TMA) noted:
At the time these regulations were written,
many diesel engines were naturally
aspirated, and coincidently much louder
than then-comparable turbocharged equipped
engines/trucks. In that context, it made sense
to include turbochargers with mufflers as
acceptable noise dissipative devices, since
both devices quieted trucks appreciably
compared to trucks with naturally aspirated
engines and totally unmuffled exhaust
systems.
All newly manufactured trucks are
currently equipped and certified to meet
EPA’s Transportation Equipment Noise
Emission Controls requirement of 80
dB(A) (40 CFR part 205) when they are
placed into initial service. Section
325.91 provides a simple inspection
protocol to assist Federal and State
safety inspectors in confirming
compliance with the EPA exhaust
system requirements of the Interstate
Motor Carrier Noise Emission Standards
(40 CFR 202.22).
While FMCSA believes that the vast
majority of CMV operators currently
comply with § 325.91, the TMA petition
notes that the regulatory language of
§ 325.91, as currently written,
conceivably permits vehicle operators to
remove mufflers or other noise
dissipative devices and still meet the
Federal inspection requirements merely
because the CMV engine is equipped
with a turbocharger.
In its petition, TMA noted that
* * * removing the muffler can cause the
truck to be 10–20 dB(A) louder; a 10 to 100
fold increase in the emitted sound power
level of the vehicle.
Additionally, TMA stated that it is * * *
not aware of any other credible, satisfactorily
performing, and commercially available
exhaust noise dissipative device other than
mufflers.
Petition for Rulemaking
In its June 17, 2005 petition for
rulemaking, TMA requested that the
Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Regulations (FMCSRs) be amended to
eliminate turbochargers from the list of
equipment considered to be noise
dissipative devices. TMA proposes that
the phrase ‘‘, such as a turbocharger
(supercharger driven by exhaust gases)’’
be removed from 49 CFR 325.91(b).
Request for Comments
FMCSA requests public comment on
TMA’s petition for rulemaking to amend
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55823
49 CFR 325.91(b). Specifically, FMCSA
requests that commenters indicate
whether they believe the FMCSRs
should be amended as requested by the
petitioner and whether there is any data
or other relevant information to suggest
the need for such a change. FMCSA also
requests information concerning the
impact of the requested change on
motor carriers’ ability to achieve
compliance with the requirements of
section 325.91.
FMCSA will consider all comments
received by close of business on October
25, 2006. Comments will be available
for examination in the docket at the
location listed under the ADDRESSES
section of this notice. FMCSA will file
comments received after the comment
closing date in the public docket and
will consider them to the extent
practicable. In addition to late
comments, FMCSA will also continue to
file in the public docket relevant
information that becomes available after
the comment closing date. Interested
persons should monitor the public
docket for new material.
Issued on: September 8, 2006.
John H. Hill,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 06–8156 Filed 9–22–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–EX–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
Docket No. [FRA–2000–7257; Notice No. 37]
Railroad Safety Advisory Committee
(RSAC); Working Group Activity
Update
Federal Railroad
Administration (FRA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Announcement of Railroad
Safety Advisory Committee (RSAC)
Working Group Activities.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The FRA is updating its
announcement of RSAC’s Working
Group activities to reflect its current
status.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Patricia Butera or Lydia Leeds, RSAC
Coordinator, FRA, 1120 Vermont
Avenue, NW., Mailstop 25, Washington,
DC 20590, (202) 493–6212/6213 or
Grady Cothen, Deputy Associate
Administrator for Safety, FRA, 1120
Vermont Avenue, NW., Mailstop 25,
Washington, DC 20590, (202) 493–6302.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This
notice serves to update FRA’s last
announcement of working group
activities and status reports of May 12,
E:\FR\FM\25SEN1.SGM
25SEN1
55824
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 185 / Monday, September 25, 2006 / Notices
2006, (71 FR 27781). The 29th full
Committee meeting was held May 18,
2006.
Since its first meeting in April of
1996, the RSAC has accepted twentytwo tasks. Status for each of the tasks is
provided below:
Open Tasks
Task 96–4—Reviewing the
appropriateness of the agency’s current
policy regarding the applicability of
existing and proposed regulations to
tourist, excursion, scenic, and historic
railroads. This Task was accepted on
April 2, 1996, and a Working Group was
established. The Working Group
monitored the steam locomotive
regulation task. Planned future activities
involve the review of other regulations
for possible adaptation to the safety
needs of tourist and historic railroads.
Contact: Grady Cothen, (202) 493–6302.
Task 97–2—Evaluating the extent to
which environmental, sanitary, and
other working conditions in locomotive
cabs affect the crew’s health and the safe
operation of locomotives, proposing
standards where appropriate. This Task
was accepted June 24, 1997.
(Sanitation) (Completed)
(Noise exposure) On June 27, 2003,
the full RSAC gave consensus by ballot
on the NPRM. The NPRM was
published in the Federal Register on
June 23, 2004. The comment period
ended September 21, 2004. Task Force
and Working Group meetings were held
March 1, and March 2 and 3, 2005,
respectively, to review the public
comments and recommend a final rule.
The Working Group reached agreement
on all issues, and its report was
presented to the full Committee on May
18, 2005. The final rule is in review and
clearance.
(Cab Temperature) (Completed)
rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with NOTICES
Note: Additional related topics such as
vibration may be considered by the Working
Group in the future. Contact: Jeffrey Horn,
(202) 493–6283.
Task 03–01—Passenger Safety. This
Task was accepted on May 20, 2003,
and a Working Group was established.
Prior to embarking on substantive
discussions of a specific task, the
Working Group set forth in writing a
specific description of the task. The
Working Group will report any planned
activity to the full Committee at each
scheduled full RSAC meeting, including
milestones for completion of projects
and progress toward completion. At the
first meeting held September 9–10,
2003, a consolidated list of issues was
completed. At the second meeting held
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Jkt 208001
November 6–7, 2003, four task groups
were established: emergency
preparedness; mechanical-general
issues; mechanical-safety appliances;
and track/vehicle interaction. The task
groups met and reported on activities
for Working Group consideration at the
third meeting held May 11–12, 2004,
and a fourth meeting was held October
26–27, 2004. The Working Group met
on March 21–22, 2006, and tentatively
agreed to establish a task force on
General Passenger Safety. The Working
Group met September 12–13, 2006, and
activated the General Passenger Safety
Task Force.
(Emergency Preparedness) At the
Working Group meeting of March 9–10,
2005, the Working Group received and
approved the consensus report of the
Emergency Preparedness Task Force
related to emergency egress and rescue
access. These recommendations were
presented to and approved by the full
Committee on May 18, 2005. The
Working Group met on September 7–8,
2005, and additional, supplementary
recommendations were presented to and
accepted by the full RSAC on October
11, 2005. An NPRM on Emergency
Systems was published on August 24,
2006, and is open for comments until
October 23, 2006.
(General Mechanical) Initial
recommendations on mechanical issues
(revisions to 49 CFR Part 238) were
approved by the full Committee on
January 26, 2005. At the Working Group
meeting of September 7–8, 2005, the
task force presented additional
perfecting amendments and the full
RSAC approved them on October 11,
2005. An NPRM was published in the
Federal Register on December 8, 2005,
(70 FR 73070). Public comments were
due by February 17, 2006. FRA is
currently preparing a final rule.
(Passenger Equipment
Crashworthiness) The Crashworthiness
Task Force provided consensus
recommendations on static end strength
that were adopted by the Working
Group on September 7–8, 2005. The full
Committee accepted the
recommendations on October 11, 2005.
The FRA is preparing an NPRM.
(Vehicle/Track Interaction) The task
force is developing proposed revisions
to Parts 213 and 238 principally
regarding high-speed passenger service.
Contact: Charles Bielitz, (202) 493–6314.
Task 05–01—Review of Roadway
Worker Protection issues. This Task was
accepted on January 26, 2005, to review
49 CFR 214, Subpart C, Roadway
Worker Protection, and related sections
of Subpart A; recommend consideration
of specific actions to advance the ontrack safety of railroad employees and
PO 00000
Frm 00051
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
contractors engaged in maintenance-ofway activities throughout the general
system of railroad transportation,
including clarification of existing
requirements. A Working Group has
been established and will report to the
RSAC any specific actions identified as
appropriate. The first meeting of the
Working Group was held on April 12–
14, 2005. The Working Group will
report planned activity to the full
Committee at each scheduled
Committee meeting, including
milestones for completion of projects
and progress toward completion. The
Working Group met on June 22–24,
2005, August 8–11, 2005, September
20–22, 2005, November 8–9, 2005,
January 10–11, 2006, February 1–2,
2006, March 15–16, 2006, April 11–12,
2006, and August 22–23, 2006. To date,
the group has drafted and accepted
regulatory language for various
revisions, clarifications, and additions
to 16 sections of the rule. The next
Working Group meeting is being
planned for November, 2006. A meeting
is scheduled for January 17–18, 2007,
with the final meeting scheduled for
February 27–28, 2007. Contact:
Christopher Schulte, (202) 493–6251.
Task 05–02—Reduce Human FactorCaused Train Accident/Incidents. This
Task was accepted on May 18, 2005, to
reduce the number of human factorcaused train accidents/incidents and
related employee injuries. A Working
Group was established. The Working
Group will report any planned activity
to the full Committee at each scheduled
full RSAC meeting, including
milestones for completion of projects
and progress toward completion. The
Working Group met on July 12–13,
2005, August 31—September 1, 2005,
September 28–29, 2005, October 25–26,
2005, November 16–17, 2005, and
December 6–7, 2005. The final Working
Group meeting devoted to developing a
proposed rule was held February 8–9,
2006. The Working Group was not able
to deliver a consensus regulatory
proposal, but did recommend that it be
used to review comments on FRA’s
forthcoming NPRM, which is under
development with the Working Group’s
discussion draft as its basis. Contact:
Douglas Taylor, (202) 493–6255.
Task 06–01—Locomotive Safety
Standards. This task was accepted on
February 22, 2006, to review Title 49
CFR Part 229, Railroad Locomotive
Safety Standards, and revise as
appropriate. A Working Group has been
established. The Working Group will
report any planned activity to the full
Committee at each scheduled full RSAC
meeting, including milestones for
completion of projects and progress
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25SEN1
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 185 / Monday, September 25, 2006 / Notices
rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with NOTICES
toward completion. The first Working
Group meeting was held May 8–10,
2006. The Working Group met on
August 8–9, 2006, and the next meeting
is scheduled for September 25–26, 2006.
Contact: George Scerbo, (202) 493–6249.
Task 06–02—Track Safety Standards
and Continuous Welded Rail. Section
9005 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible,
Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A
Legacy for Users (Pub. L. No. 109–59,
‘‘SAFETEA–LU’’), the 2005 surface
transportation authorization act,
requires FRA to issue requirements for
inspection of joint bars in continuous
welded rail (CWR) to detect cracks that
could affect the integrity of the track
structure. 49 U.S.C. 20142(e). FRA
published an Interim Final Rule
establishing new requirements for
inspections on November 2, 2005, (70
FR 66288). On October 11, 2005, FRA
offered the RSAC a task to review
comments on this IFR, but the
conditions could not be established
under which the Committee could have
undertaken this with a view toward
consensus. Comments on the IFR were
received through December 19, 2005.
FRA is reviewing the comments. On
February 22, 2006, the RSAC accepted
this task to review and revise the CWR
related to provisions of the Track Safety
Standards, with particular emphasis on
reduction of derailments and
consequent injuries and damage caused
by defective conditions, including joint
failures, in track using CWR. A Working
Group has been established. The
Working Group will report any planned
activity to the full Committee at each
scheduled full RSAC meeting, including
milestones for completion of projects
and progress toward completion. The
first Working Group meeting was held
April 3–4, 2006, at which time the
Working Group reviewed comments on
the IFR. The second Working Group
meeting was held April 26–28, 2006.
The Working Group also met May 24–
25, 2006, and July 19–20, 2006. The
Working Group reported consensus
recommendations for the final rule that
were accepted by the full Committee by
mail ballot on August 11, 2006. FRA is
currently preparing a final rule. Contact:
Ken Rusk, (202) 493–6236.
Completed Tasks
Task 96–1—(Completed) Revising the
Freight Power Brake Regulations.
Task 96–2—(Completed) Reviewing
and recommending revisions to the
Track Safety Standards (49 CFR Part
213).
Task 96–3—(Completed) Reviewing
and recommending revisions to the
Radio Standards and Procedures (49
CFR Part 220).
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17:46 Sep 22, 2006
Jkt 208001
Task 96–5—(Completed) Reviewing
and recommending revisions to Steam
Locomotive Inspection Standards (49
CFR Part 230).
Task 96–6—(Completed) Reviewing
and recommending revisions to
miscellaneous aspects of the regulations
addressing Locomotive Engineer
Certification (49 CFR Part 240).
Task 96–7—(Completed) Developing
Roadway Maintenance Machines (OnTrack Equipment) Safety Standards.
Task 96–8—(Completed) This
Planning Task evaluated the need for
action responsive to recommendations
contained in a report to Congress
entitled, Locomotive Crashworthiness &
Working Conditions.
Task 97–1—(Completed) Developing
crashworthiness specifications (49 CFR
Part 229) to promote the integrity of the
locomotive cab in accidents resulting
from collisions.
Task 97–3—(Completed) Developing
event recorder data survivability
standards.
Task 97–4 and Task 97–5—
(Completed) Defining Positive Train
Control (PTC) functionalities, describing
available technologies, evaluating costs
and benefits of potential systems, and
considering implementation
opportunities and challenges, including
demonstration and deployment.
Task 97–6—(Completed) Revising
various regulations to address the safety
implications of processor-based signal
and train control technologies,
including communications-based
operating systems.
Task 97–7—(Completed) Determining
damages qualifying an event as a
reportable train accident.
Task 00–1—(Completed—task
withdrawn) Determining the need to
amend regulations protecting persons
who work on, under, or between rolling
equipment and persons applying,
removing or inspecting rear end
marking devices (Blue Signal
Protection).
Task 01–1—(Completed) Developing
conformity of FRA’s regulations for
accident/incident reporting (49 CFR Part
225) to revised regulations of the
Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA), U.S.
Department of Labor, and to make
appropriate revisions to the FRA Guide
for Preparing Accident/Incident Reports
(Reporting Guide).
Please refer to the notice published in
the Federal Register on March 11, 1996,
(61 FR 9740) for more information about
the RSAC.
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55825
Issued in Washington, DC, on September
18, 2006.
Grady C. Cothen, Jr.
Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety
Standards and Program Development.
[FR Doc. 06–8124 Filed 9–22–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–06–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Surface Transportation Board
[STB Ex Parte No. 664]
Methodology To Be Employed in
Determining the Railroad Industry’s
Cost of Capital
Surface Transportation Board.
Request for comments.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
SUMMARY: The Board is seeking
comments on the appropriate
methodology to be employed in
determining the railroad industry’s
estimated cost of capital to be used in
future annual cost-of-capital
determinations. We are also soliciting
comments on how evidence should be
submitted and analyzed in future costof-capital proceedings.
DATES: Comments are due on or before
November 6, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Send comments (an original
and 10 copies) referring to STB Ex Parte
No. 664 to: Surface Transportation
Board, 1925 K Street, NW., Washington,
DC 20423–0001.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul
Aguiar, (202) 565–1527. [Assistance for
the hearing impaired is available
through the Federal Information Relay
Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339.]
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section
205 of the Railroad Revitalization and
Regulatory Reform Act of 1976 (4R Act)
first codified the requirement for the
Board or its predecessor to establish and
maintain standards for railroad revenue
adequacy. This provision stated that
railroad revenues should provide a flow
of net income plus depreciation
adequate to support prudent capital
outlays, assure the repayment of a
reasonable level of debt, permit the
raising of needed equity capital, cover
the effects of inflation, and attract and
retain capital in amounts adequate to
provide a sound transportation system
in the United States. Subsequent laws
(including the ICC Termination Act of
1995) have retained this requirement.
Thus, each year the Board makes a
determination of which railroads are or
are not revenue adequate.
The annual determination of the
railroad industry’s cost of capital is used
in evaluating the adequacy of railroad
E:\FR\FM\25SEN1.SGM
25SEN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 185 (Monday, September 25, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55823-55825]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-8124]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
Docket No. [FRA-2000-7257; Notice No. 37]
Railroad Safety Advisory Committee (RSAC); Working Group Activity
Update
AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Announcement of Railroad Safety Advisory Committee (RSAC)
Working Group Activities.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The FRA is updating its announcement of RSAC's Working Group
activities to reflect its current status.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patricia Butera or Lydia Leeds, RSAC
Coordinator, FRA, 1120 Vermont Avenue, NW., Mailstop 25, Washington, DC
20590, (202) 493-6212/6213 or Grady Cothen, Deputy Associate
Administrator for Safety, FRA, 1120 Vermont Avenue, NW., Mailstop 25,
Washington, DC 20590, (202) 493-6302.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice serves to update FRA's last
announcement of working group activities and status reports of May 12,
[[Page 55824]]
2006, (71 FR 27781). The 29th full Committee meeting was held May 18,
2006.
Since its first meeting in April of 1996, the RSAC has accepted
twenty-two tasks. Status for each of the tasks is provided below:
Open Tasks
Task 96-4--Reviewing the appropriateness of the agency's current
policy regarding the applicability of existing and proposed regulations
to tourist, excursion, scenic, and historic railroads. This Task was
accepted on April 2, 1996, and a Working Group was established. The
Working Group monitored the steam locomotive regulation task. Planned
future activities involve the review of other regulations for possible
adaptation to the safety needs of tourist and historic railroads.
Contact: Grady Cothen, (202) 493-6302.
Task 97-2--Evaluating the extent to which environmental, sanitary,
and other working conditions in locomotive cabs affect the crew's
health and the safe operation of locomotives, proposing standards where
appropriate. This Task was accepted June 24, 1997.
(Sanitation) (Completed)
(Noise exposure) On June 27, 2003, the full RSAC gave consensus by
ballot on the NPRM. The NPRM was published in the Federal Register on
June 23, 2004. The comment period ended September 21, 2004. Task Force
and Working Group meetings were held March 1, and March 2 and 3, 2005,
respectively, to review the public comments and recommend a final rule.
The Working Group reached agreement on all issues, and its report was
presented to the full Committee on May 18, 2005. The final rule is in
review and clearance.
(Cab Temperature) (Completed)
Note: Additional related topics such as vibration may be
considered by the Working Group in the future. Contact: Jeffrey
Horn, (202) 493-6283.
Task 03-01--Passenger Safety. This Task was accepted on May 20,
2003, and a Working Group was established. Prior to embarking on
substantive discussions of a specific task, the Working Group set forth
in writing a specific description of the task. The Working Group will
report any planned activity to the full Committee at each scheduled
full RSAC meeting, including milestones for completion of projects and
progress toward completion. At the first meeting held September 9-10,
2003, a consolidated list of issues was completed. At the second
meeting held November 6-7, 2003, four task groups were established:
emergency preparedness; mechanical-general issues; mechanical-safety
appliances; and track/vehicle interaction. The task groups met and
reported on activities for Working Group consideration at the third
meeting held May 11-12, 2004, and a fourth meeting was held October 26-
27, 2004. The Working Group met on March 21-22, 2006, and tentatively
agreed to establish a task force on General Passenger Safety. The
Working Group met September 12-13, 2006, and activated the General
Passenger Safety Task Force.
(Emergency Preparedness) At the Working Group meeting of March 9-
10, 2005, the Working Group received and approved the consensus report
of the Emergency Preparedness Task Force related to emergency egress
and rescue access. These recommendations were presented to and approved
by the full Committee on May 18, 2005. The Working Group met on
September 7-8, 2005, and additional, supplementary recommendations were
presented to and accepted by the full RSAC on October 11, 2005. An NPRM
on Emergency Systems was published on August 24, 2006, and is open for
comments until October 23, 2006.
(General Mechanical) Initial recommendations on mechanical issues
(revisions to 49 CFR Part 238) were approved by the full Committee on
January 26, 2005. At the Working Group meeting of September 7-8, 2005,
the task force presented additional perfecting amendments and the full
RSAC approved them on October 11, 2005. An NPRM was published in the
Federal Register on December 8, 2005, (70 FR 73070). Public comments
were due by February 17, 2006. FRA is currently preparing a final rule.
(Passenger Equipment Crashworthiness) The Crashworthiness Task
Force provided consensus recommendations on static end strength that
were adopted by the Working Group on September 7-8, 2005. The full
Committee accepted the recommendations on October 11, 2005. The FRA is
preparing an NPRM.
(Vehicle/Track Interaction) The task force is developing proposed
revisions to Parts 213 and 238 principally regarding high-speed
passenger service. Contact: Charles Bielitz, (202) 493-6314.
Task 05-01--Review of Roadway Worker Protection issues. This Task
was accepted on January 26, 2005, to review 49 CFR 214, Subpart C,
Roadway Worker Protection, and related sections of Subpart A; recommend
consideration of specific actions to advance the on-track safety of
railroad employees and contractors engaged in maintenance-of-way
activities throughout the general system of railroad transportation,
including clarification of existing requirements. A Working Group has
been established and will report to the RSAC any specific actions
identified as appropriate. The first meeting of the Working Group was
held on April 12-14, 2005. The Working Group will report planned
activity to the full Committee at each scheduled Committee meeting,
including milestones for completion of projects and progress toward
completion. The Working Group met on June 22-24, 2005, August 8-11,
2005, September 20-22, 2005, November 8-9, 2005, January 10-11, 2006,
February 1-2, 2006, March 15-16, 2006, April 11-12, 2006, and August
22-23, 2006. To date, the group has drafted and accepted regulatory
language for various revisions, clarifications, and additions to 16
sections of the rule. The next Working Group meeting is being planned
for November, 2006. A meeting is scheduled for January 17-18, 2007,
with the final meeting scheduled for February 27-28, 2007. Contact:
Christopher Schulte, (202) 493-6251.
Task 05-02--Reduce Human Factor-Caused Train Accident/Incidents.
This Task was accepted on May 18, 2005, to reduce the number of human
factor-caused train accidents/incidents and related employee injuries.
A Working Group was established. The Working Group will report any
planned activity to the full Committee at each scheduled full RSAC
meeting, including milestones for completion of projects and progress
toward completion. The Working Group met on July 12-13, 2005, August
31--September 1, 2005, September 28-29, 2005, October 25-26, 2005,
November 16-17, 2005, and December 6-7, 2005. The final Working Group
meeting devoted to developing a proposed rule was held February 8-9,
2006. The Working Group was not able to deliver a consensus regulatory
proposal, but did recommend that it be used to review comments on FRA's
forthcoming NPRM, which is under development with the Working Group's
discussion draft as its basis. Contact: Douglas Taylor, (202) 493-6255.
Task 06-01--Locomotive Safety Standards. This task was accepted on
February 22, 2006, to review Title 49 CFR Part 229, Railroad Locomotive
Safety Standards, and revise as appropriate. A Working Group has been
established. The Working Group will report any planned activity to the
full Committee at each scheduled full RSAC meeting, including
milestones for completion of projects and progress
[[Page 55825]]
toward completion. The first Working Group meeting was held May 8-10,
2006. The Working Group met on August 8-9, 2006, and the next meeting
is scheduled for September 25-26, 2006. Contact: George Scerbo, (202)
493-6249.
Task 06-02--Track Safety Standards and Continuous Welded Rail.
Section 9005 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient
Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (Pub. L. No. 109-59,
``SAFETEA-LU''), the 2005 surface transportation authorization act,
requires FRA to issue requirements for inspection of joint bars in
continuous welded rail (CWR) to detect cracks that could affect the
integrity of the track structure. 49 U.S.C. 20142(e). FRA published an
Interim Final Rule establishing new requirements for inspections on
November 2, 2005, (70 FR 66288). On October 11, 2005, FRA offered the
RSAC a task to review comments on this IFR, but the conditions could
not be established under which the Committee could have undertaken this
with a view toward consensus. Comments on the IFR were received through
December 19, 2005. FRA is reviewing the comments. On February 22, 2006,
the RSAC accepted this task to review and revise the CWR related to
provisions of the Track Safety Standards, with particular emphasis on
reduction of derailments and consequent injuries and damage caused by
defective conditions, including joint failures, in track using CWR. A
Working Group has been established. The Working Group will report any
planned activity to the full Committee at each scheduled full RSAC
meeting, including milestones for completion of projects and progress
toward completion. The first Working Group meeting was held April 3-4,
2006, at which time the Working Group reviewed comments on the IFR. The
second Working Group meeting was held April 26-28, 2006. The Working
Group also met May 24-25, 2006, and July 19-20, 2006. The Working Group
reported consensus recommendations for the final rule that were
accepted by the full Committee by mail ballot on August 11, 2006. FRA
is currently preparing a final rule. Contact: Ken Rusk, (202) 493-6236.
Completed Tasks
Task 96-1--(Completed) Revising the Freight Power Brake
Regulations.
Task 96-2--(Completed) Reviewing and recommending revisions to the
Track Safety Standards (49 CFR Part 213).
Task 96-3--(Completed) Reviewing and recommending revisions to the
Radio Standards and Procedures (49 CFR Part 220).
Task 96-5--(Completed) Reviewing and recommending revisions to
Steam Locomotive Inspection Standards (49 CFR Part 230).
Task 96-6--(Completed) Reviewing and recommending revisions to
miscellaneous aspects of the regulations addressing Locomotive Engineer
Certification (49 CFR Part 240).
Task 96-7--(Completed) Developing Roadway Maintenance Machines (On-
Track Equipment) Safety Standards.
Task 96-8--(Completed) This Planning Task evaluated the need for
action responsive to recommendations contained in a report to Congress
entitled, Locomotive Crashworthiness & Working Conditions.
Task 97-1--(Completed) Developing crashworthiness specifications
(49 CFR Part 229) to promote the integrity of the locomotive cab in
accidents resulting from collisions.
Task 97-3--(Completed) Developing event recorder data survivability
standards.
Task 97-4 and Task 97-5--(Completed) Defining Positive Train
Control (PTC) functionalities, describing available technologies,
evaluating costs and benefits of potential systems, and considering
implementation opportunities and challenges, including demonstration
and deployment.
Task 97-6--(Completed) Revising various regulations to address the
safety implications of processor-based signal and train control
technologies, including communications-based operating systems.
Task 97-7--(Completed) Determining damages qualifying an event as a
reportable train accident.
Task 00-1--(Completed--task withdrawn) Determining the need to
amend regulations protecting persons who work on, under, or between
rolling equipment and persons applying, removing or inspecting rear end
marking devices (Blue Signal Protection).
Task 01-1--(Completed) Developing conformity of FRA's regulations
for accident/incident reporting (49 CFR Part 225) to revised
regulations of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA), U.S. Department of Labor, and to make appropriate revisions to
the FRA Guide for Preparing Accident/Incident Reports (Reporting
Guide).
Please refer to the notice published in the Federal Register on
March 11, 1996, (61 FR 9740) for more information about the RSAC.
Issued in Washington, DC, on September 18, 2006.
Grady C. Cothen, Jr.
Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety Standards and Program
Development.
[FR Doc. 06-8124 Filed 9-22-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P
