Safety Advisory 2010-02, 60863-60864 [2010-24702]
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 190 / Friday, October 1, 2010 / Notices
name of the individual submitting the
comment (or signing the comment, if
submitted on behalf of an association,
business, labor union, etc.). You may
review DOT’s complete Privacy Act
Statement in the Federal Register
published on April 11, 2000 (Volume
65, Number 70; Pages 19477–78).
By Order of the Maritime Administrator.
Dated: September 21, 2010.
Christine Gurland,
Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. 2010–24693 Filed 9–30–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–81–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
Safety Advisory 2010–02
Federal Railroad
Administration (FRA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of Safety Advisory;
Signal Recording Devices for HighwayRail Grade Crossing Active Warning
Systems that are Interconnected with
Highway Traffic Signal Systems.
AGENCY:
FRA is issuing Safety
Advisory 2010–02 to address Safety
Recommendations I–96–10 and I–96–11,
issued by the National Transportation
Safety Board (NTSB) that relate to
railroad and highway signal recording
devices at highway-rail grade crossings
equipped with active warning systems
that are interconnected with highway
traffic signal systems. This safety
advisory recommends that States, local
highway authorities, and railroads
install, maintain, and upgrade railroad
and highway traffic signal recording
devices at these types of grade crossings.
This safety advisory also recommends
that States, local highway authorities,
and railroads conduct comprehensive
periodic joint inspections of highway
traffic signal pre-emption
interconnections and use information
obtained from any railroad and highway
traffic signal recording devices during
those inspections.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ron
Ries, Staff Director, Highway-Rail Grade
Crossing & Trespasser Prevention
Division, FRA, RRS–23, Mail Stop 25,
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE.,
Washington, DC 20590 (telephone: (202)
493–6285); Thomas McFarlin, Staff
Director, Signal & Train Control
Division, FRA, RRS–13, Mail Stop 25,
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE.,
Washington, DC 20590 (telephone: (202)
493–6203); or Kathy Shelton, Office of
Chief Counsel, FRA, RCC–11, Mail Stop
10, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE.,
emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Mar<15>2010
17:34 Sep 30, 2010
Jkt 220001
Washington, DC 20590 (telephone: (202)
493–6063).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In Safety
Recommendation I–96–10, the NTSB
recommended that DOT require the use
and maintenance of railroad and
highway traffic signal recording devices
at all new and improved highway-rail
grade crossings equipped with active
warning systems that are interconnected
with highway traffic signal systems.
These devices should be capable of
recording sufficient parameters to allow
railroad and highway personnel to
readily determine that the highway
traffic signals and railroad active
warning systems are operating properly
and in a coordinated manner. The NTSB
further recommended that DOT require
the use of information obtained from
these railroad and highway traffic signal
recording devices during
comprehensive and periodic joint
inspections.
In Safety Recommendation I–96–11,
the NTSB recommended that DOT
require the retention or upgrading of
existing recording devices installed at
highway-rail grade crossings equipped
with active railroad warning systems
that are interconnected with highway
traffic signal systems. In addition, the
NTSB recommended that DOT require
maintenance of these recording devices
and the use of information obtained
from the devices during comprehensive
and periodic joint inspections.
Highway traffic signal pre-emption
interconnections, when present, play a
critical role in the proper functioning of
a highway-rail grade crossing active
warning system. By changing the
sequence of the traffic signal to allow
highway traffic to exit the crossing prior
to the arrival of a train, they can prevent
vehicle entrapment on the highway-rail
grade crossing. Also, the changed traffic
signal sequence prevents conflicting
visual traffic control messages for
motorists approaching highway-rail
grade crossings located in close
proximity to highway traffic control
signals (i.e., a proceed highway traffic
signal display into a nearby highwayrail grade crossing active warning
system which is activated to indicate
the approach or occupancy of a train).
In order to facilitate the proper
functioning of the highway traffic signal
pre-emption interconnection, 49 CFR
234.261 requires that railroads test each
highway traffic signal pre-emption
interconnection at least once each
month. Therefore, States, local highway
authorities, and railroads should
identify which highway-rail grade
crossings are equipped, or intended to
be equipped, with a highway traffic
PO 00000
Frm 00153
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
60863
signal pre-emption interconnection. If
so equipped, railroads should ensure
that the circuit plan shows the actual
interconnection and the designed preemption time. Railroads should also
ensure that the interconnection is in
place and the train detection device (or
equivalent) is programmed or equipped
to provide the appropriate designed preemption function.
While FRA regulations require the
testing of highway traffic signal preemption interconnections at least once a
month, this requirement has historically
only been applicable to the proper
functioning of the railroad’s control
circuit to the highway traffic controller.
While inspecting the highway traffic
signal pre-emption interconnection, the
actual operation of the highway traffic
signal should be observed. Railroads
should not rely solely on the operation
of a relay or the opening of a control
circuit to the traffic signal control
housing. In fact, the preferred method of
testing highway traffic signal preemption is by observation of a train
movement and of the actual preemption function. Therefore, FRA
recommends that railroads conduct
comprehensive joint inspections of the
highway traffic signal pre-emption
interconnection with State and local
highway authorities. These
comprehensive joint inspections should
be conducted when the highway-rail
grade crossing active warning system is
placed in service, whenever any portion
of the system which may affect the
proper function of the interconnection
is modified or disarranged, and at least
once every 12 months, during which
observation of the actual pre-emption
function and its effect on the highway
traffic signal system can be made. These
comprehensive periodic joint
inspections should also include an
inspection of the timing and operation
of highway traffic signal systems that
are interconnected with highway-rail
grade crossing active warning devices,
in order to ensure that the highway
traffic signal system responds
appropriately to the railroad control
circuit and as designed. By conducting
comprehensive periodic joint
inspections, the railroad and State and
local highway authorities can work
together to observe and verify proper
functioning of all necessary components
of the highway traffic signal preemption upon activation of the
highway-rail grade crossing active
warning system.
Neither the Federal Highway
Administration (FHWA) nor FRA
require the retention or installation of
railroad or highway signal recording
devices at highway-rail grade crossings
E:\FR\FM\01OCN1.SGM
01OCN1
emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with NOTICES
60864
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 190 / Friday, October 1, 2010 / Notices
equipped with active warning systems
that are interconnected with highway
traffic signal systems. However, in
recognition of the critical role served by
highway traffic signal pre-emption
interconnections with respect to the
proper functioning of a highway-rail
grade crossing active warning system,
States, local highway authorities, and
railroads are encouraged to install
railroad and highway traffic signal
recording devices at all new and
improved highway-rail grade crossings
that have (or will have) active warning
systems which are (or will be)
interconnected with highway traffic
signal systems. Railroad and highway
traffic signal recording devices can
provide a record of any anomalies
associated with the operation of the
highway-rail grade crossing active
warning system and/or the highway
traffic signal system, which may prompt
further investigation. Thus, as noted by
the NTSB, these recording devices
should be capable of recording
sufficient parameters to allow railroad
and highway personnel to readily
determine that the highway traffic
signals and railroad-activated warning
systems are coordinated and operating
properly.
States, local highway authorities, and
railroads are also encouraged to
maintain and upgrade existing railroad
and highway traffic signal recording
devices at highway-rail grade crossings
that have active warning systems which
are interconnected with highway signal
systems. With respect to signal
recording devices for highway-rail grade
crossing active warning systems, older
devices can record basic information
such as approach time and estimated
train speed. However, current signal
recording devices for highway-rail grade
crossing active warning systems can
monitor a variety of system functions
and provide reports on the ‘‘health’’ of
the warning system, such as the status
of the flashing light units, gate position,
power supply, the presence of any
grounded circuits, etc. Many modern
traffic signal systems feature software
that includes various event logs that get
recorded in the traffic signal controller
itself. These event logs are periodically
retrieved by the central system software.
Among the data retrieved would be any
observed conflicts or preempts, as well
as logs and diagnostics on the vehicle
detector in-pavement ‘‘loops’’.
Recognizing that data provided by
signal recording devices can assist
States, local highway authorities, and
railroads with the maintenance of
interconnected highway-rail grade
crossing active warning systems and
VerDate Mar<15>2010
17:34 Sep 30, 2010
Jkt 220001
highway traffic signal systems, FRA
recommends that States, local highway
authorities, and railroads use the data
provided by these recording devices
during their comprehensive periodic
joint inspections to determine whether
further investigation of any recorded
operational anomalies may be
warranted. It should be noted that
railroad and highway traffic signal
recording devices may be eligible for
funding through FHWA’s RailwayHighway Crossings Program (23 USC
130).
Recommended Action: Based on the
foregoing discussion and to promote the
safety of highway-rail grade crossings on
the Nation’s railroads, FRA recommends
the following:
(1) Each State and local highway
authority and railroad should conduct
comprehensive joint inspections of
highway traffic signal pre-emption
interconnections when the highway-rail
grade crossing active warning system is
placed in service, whenever any portion
of the system which may affect the
proper function of the interconnection
is modified or disarranged, and at least
once every 12 months, during which
observation of the actual pre-emption
function and its effect on the highway
traffic signal system can be made;
(2) Each State and local highway
authority and railroad should install
railroad and highway traffic signal
recording devices at all new and
improved highway-rail grade crossings
that have active warning systems which
are interconnected with highway traffic
signal systems;
(3) Each State and local highway
authority and railroad should maintain
and upgrade existing railroad and
highway traffic signal recording devices
at highway-rail grade crossings that
have active warning systems which are
interconnected with highway traffic
signal systems; and
(4) Each State and local highway
authority and railroad should use the
data provided by railroad and highway
traffic signal recording devices during
their comprehensive periodic joint
inspections of interconnected highwayrail grade crossing active warning
systems and highway traffic signal
systems to determine whether further
investigation of any recorded
operational anomalies may be
warranted.
States and local highway authorities and
railroads are encouraged to take action
consistent with the preceding
recommendations to help ensure the
safety of highway-rail grade crossings.
FRA may modify this Safety Advisory
2010–02, or take other appropriate
PO 00000
Frm 00154
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
action necessary, to ensure the highest
level of safety on the Nation’s railroads.
Issued in Washington, DC, on September
27, 2010.
Jo Strang,
Associated Administrator for Railroad Safety/
Chief Safety Officer.
[FR Doc. 2010–24702 Filed 9–30–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–06–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
United States Mint
Senior Executive Service Combined
Performance Review Board (PRB)
United States Mint, Department
of the Treasury.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
Pursuant to 5 U.S.C.
4314(c)(4), this notice announces the
appointment of members of the
Combined Performance Review Board
(PRB) for the Bureau of Engraving and
Printing (BEP), Financial Management
Service (FMS), Bureau of the Public
Debt (BPD), United States Mint (USM),
Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade
Bureau (TTB) and Financial Crimes
Enforcement Network (FINCEN). The
Board reviews the performance
appraisals of career senior executives
below the level of bureau head and
principal deputy in the bureaus, except
for executives below the Assistant
Commissioner/Executive Director level
in the Financial Management Service
and Bureau of the Public Debt. The
Board makes recommendations
regarding proposed performance
appraisals, ratings, bonuses, pay
adjustments and other appropriate
personnel actions.
Composition of Combined PRB: The
Board shall consist of at least three
voting members. In the case of an
appraisal of a career appointee, more
than half of the members shall consist
of career appointees. The names and
titles of the Combined PRB members are
as follows:
SUMMARY:
Primary Members
Wanda Rogers, Deputy Commissioner,
FMS.
Anita Shandor, Deputy Commissioner,
BPD.
Pamela J. Gardiner, Deputy Director,
BEP.
Andrew D. Brunhart, Deputy Director,
USM.
Mary G. Ryan, Deputy Administrator,
TTB.
Charles M. Steele, Deputy Director,
FINCEN.
E:\FR\FM\01OCN1.SGM
01OCN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 190 (Friday, October 1, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60863-60864]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-24702]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
Safety Advisory 2010-02
AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of Safety Advisory; Signal Recording Devices for
Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Active Warning Systems that are
Interconnected with Highway Traffic Signal Systems.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: FRA is issuing Safety Advisory 2010-02 to address Safety
Recommendations I-96-10 and I-96-11, issued by the National
Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) that relate to railroad and highway
signal recording devices at highway-rail grade crossings equipped with
active warning systems that are interconnected with highway traffic
signal systems. This safety advisory recommends that States, local
highway authorities, and railroads install, maintain, and upgrade
railroad and highway traffic signal recording devices at these types of
grade crossings. This safety advisory also recommends that States,
local highway authorities, and railroads conduct comprehensive periodic
joint inspections of highway traffic signal pre-emption
interconnections and use information obtained from any railroad and
highway traffic signal recording devices during those inspections.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ron Ries, Staff Director, Highway-Rail
Grade Crossing & Trespasser Prevention Division, FRA, RRS-23, Mail Stop
25, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590 (telephone: (202)
493-6285); Thomas McFarlin, Staff Director, Signal & Train Control
Division, FRA, RRS-13, Mail Stop 25, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE.,
Washington, DC 20590 (telephone: (202) 493-6203); or Kathy Shelton,
Office of Chief Counsel, FRA, RCC-11, Mail Stop 10, 1200 New Jersey
Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590 (telephone: (202) 493-6063).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In Safety Recommendation I-96-10, the NTSB
recommended that DOT require the use and maintenance of railroad and
highway traffic signal recording devices at all new and improved
highway-rail grade crossings equipped with active warning systems that
are interconnected with highway traffic signal systems. These devices
should be capable of recording sufficient parameters to allow railroad
and highway personnel to readily determine that the highway traffic
signals and railroad active warning systems are operating properly and
in a coordinated manner. The NTSB further recommended that DOT require
the use of information obtained from these railroad and highway traffic
signal recording devices during comprehensive and periodic joint
inspections.
In Safety Recommendation I-96-11, the NTSB recommended that DOT
require the retention or upgrading of existing recording devices
installed at highway-rail grade crossings equipped with active railroad
warning systems that are interconnected with highway traffic signal
systems. In addition, the NTSB recommended that DOT require maintenance
of these recording devices and the use of information obtained from the
devices during comprehensive and periodic joint inspections.
Highway traffic signal pre-emption interconnections, when present,
play a critical role in the proper functioning of a highway-rail grade
crossing active warning system. By changing the sequence of the traffic
signal to allow highway traffic to exit the crossing prior to the
arrival of a train, they can prevent vehicle entrapment on the highway-
rail grade crossing. Also, the changed traffic signal sequence prevents
conflicting visual traffic control messages for motorists approaching
highway-rail grade crossings located in close proximity to highway
traffic control signals (i.e., a proceed highway traffic signal display
into a nearby highway-rail grade crossing active warning system which
is activated to indicate the approach or occupancy of a train).
In order to facilitate the proper functioning of the highway
traffic signal pre-emption interconnection, 49 CFR 234.261 requires
that railroads test each highway traffic signal pre-emption
interconnection at least once each month. Therefore, States, local
highway authorities, and railroads should identify which highway-rail
grade crossings are equipped, or intended to be equipped, with a
highway traffic signal pre-emption interconnection. If so equipped,
railroads should ensure that the circuit plan shows the actual
interconnection and the designed pre-emption time. Railroads should
also ensure that the interconnection is in place and the train
detection device (or equivalent) is programmed or equipped to provide
the appropriate designed pre-emption function.
While FRA regulations require the testing of highway traffic signal
pre-emption interconnections at least once a month, this requirement
has historically only been applicable to the proper functioning of the
railroad's control circuit to the highway traffic controller. While
inspecting the highway traffic signal pre-emption interconnection, the
actual operation of the highway traffic signal should be observed.
Railroads should not rely solely on the operation of a relay or the
opening of a control circuit to the traffic signal control housing. In
fact, the preferred method of testing highway traffic signal pre-
emption is by observation of a train movement and of the actual pre-
emption function. Therefore, FRA recommends that railroads conduct
comprehensive joint inspections of the highway traffic signal pre-
emption interconnection with State and local highway authorities. These
comprehensive joint inspections should be conducted when the highway-
rail grade crossing active warning system is placed in service,
whenever any portion of the system which may affect the proper function
of the interconnection is modified or disarranged, and at least once
every 12 months, during which observation of the actual pre-emption
function and its effect on the highway traffic signal system can be
made. These comprehensive periodic joint inspections should also
include an inspection of the timing and operation of highway traffic
signal systems that are interconnected with highway-rail grade crossing
active warning devices, in order to ensure that the highway traffic
signal system responds appropriately to the railroad control circuit
and as designed. By conducting comprehensive periodic joint
inspections, the railroad and State and local highway authorities can
work together to observe and verify proper functioning of all necessary
components of the highway traffic signal pre-emption upon activation of
the highway-rail grade crossing active warning system.
Neither the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) nor FRA require
the retention or installation of railroad or highway signal recording
devices at highway-rail grade crossings
[[Page 60864]]
equipped with active warning systems that are interconnected with
highway traffic signal systems. However, in recognition of the critical
role served by highway traffic signal pre-emption interconnections with
respect to the proper functioning of a highway-rail grade crossing
active warning system, States, local highway authorities, and railroads
are encouraged to install railroad and highway traffic signal recording
devices at all new and improved highway-rail grade crossings that have
(or will have) active warning systems which are (or will be)
interconnected with highway traffic signal systems. Railroad and
highway traffic signal recording devices can provide a record of any
anomalies associated with the operation of the highway-rail grade
crossing active warning system and/or the highway traffic signal
system, which may prompt further investigation. Thus, as noted by the
NTSB, these recording devices should be capable of recording sufficient
parameters to allow railroad and highway personnel to readily determine
that the highway traffic signals and railroad-activated warning systems
are coordinated and operating properly.
States, local highway authorities, and railroads are also
encouraged to maintain and upgrade existing railroad and highway
traffic signal recording devices at highway-rail grade crossings that
have active warning systems which are interconnected with highway
signal systems. With respect to signal recording devices for highway-
rail grade crossing active warning systems, older devices can record
basic information such as approach time and estimated train speed.
However, current signal recording devices for highway-rail grade
crossing active warning systems can monitor a variety of system
functions and provide reports on the ``health'' of the warning system,
such as the status of the flashing light units, gate position, power
supply, the presence of any grounded circuits, etc. Many modern traffic
signal systems feature software that includes various event logs that
get recorded in the traffic signal controller itself. These event logs
are periodically retrieved by the central system software. Among the
data retrieved would be any observed conflicts or preempts, as well as
logs and diagnostics on the vehicle detector in-pavement ``loops''.
Recognizing that data provided by signal recording devices can assist
States, local highway authorities, and railroads with the maintenance
of interconnected highway-rail grade crossing active warning systems
and highway traffic signal systems, FRA recommends that States, local
highway authorities, and railroads use the data provided by these
recording devices during their comprehensive periodic joint inspections
to determine whether further investigation of any recorded operational
anomalies may be warranted. It should be noted that railroad and
highway traffic signal recording devices may be eligible for funding
through FHWA's Railway-Highway Crossings Program (23 USC 130).
Recommended Action: Based on the foregoing discussion and to
promote the safety of highway-rail grade crossings on the Nation's
railroads, FRA recommends the following:
(1) Each State and local highway authority and railroad should
conduct comprehensive joint inspections of highway traffic signal pre-
emption interconnections when the highway-rail grade crossing active
warning system is placed in service, whenever any portion of the system
which may affect the proper function of the interconnection is modified
or disarranged, and at least once every 12 months, during which
observation of the actual pre-emption function and its effect on the
highway traffic signal system can be made;
(2) Each State and local highway authority and railroad should
install railroad and highway traffic signal recording devices at all
new and improved highway-rail grade crossings that have active warning
systems which are interconnected with highway traffic signal systems;
(3) Each State and local highway authority and railroad should
maintain and upgrade existing railroad and highway traffic signal
recording devices at highway-rail grade crossings that have active
warning systems which are interconnected with highway traffic signal
systems; and
(4) Each State and local highway authority and railroad should use
the data provided by railroad and highway traffic signal recording
devices during their comprehensive periodic joint inspections of
interconnected highway-rail grade crossing active warning systems and
highway traffic signal systems to determine whether further
investigation of any recorded operational anomalies may be warranted.
States and local highway authorities and railroads are encouraged to
take action consistent with the preceding recommendations to help
ensure the safety of highway-rail grade crossings. FRA may modify this
Safety Advisory 2010-02, or take other appropriate action necessary, to
ensure the highest level of safety on the Nation's railroads.
Issued in Washington, DC, on September 27, 2010.
Jo Strang,
Associated Administrator for Railroad Safety/Chief Safety Officer.
[FR Doc. 2010-24702 Filed 9-30-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P
