Department of Transportation December 11, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

FRA is issuing this emergency order (EO or Order) to require that the New York State Metropolitan Transportation Authority's Metro- North Commuter Railroad Company (Metro-North) take certain actions to control passenger train speed at any location on main track where there is a reduction of more than 20 miles per hour (mph) in the maximum authorized passenger train speed. Under the EO, Metro-North must create and comply with an FRA-approved action plan that institutes modifications to its existing Automatic Train Control System or other signal systems. Until Metro-North completes the necessary modifications, the EO requires that two qualified railroad employees be present in the control compartment of Metro-North's passenger trains when those trains operate over locations on main track where there is a required reduction of more than 20-mph in the maximum authorized passenger train speed.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the availability of draft guidance on the application of a new provision of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) regarding corridor preservation for future transit projects. MAP-21 amended Federal transit law by amending a previously existing provision such that FTA can now, under certain conditions, assist in the acquisition of right-of-way (ROW) for corridor preservation before the environmental review process for any transit project that eventually will use that ROW and permit corridor preservation with local funds, under certain conditions, for a transit project that could later receive FTA financial assistance. The draft guidance defines the form of ROW to which this MAP-21 provision applies and explains the conditions and requirements pertaining to its application. FTA requests comments on this draft guidance, which is available in the docket and on the FTA Web site.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all BAE SYSTEMS (OPERATIONS) LIMITED Model BAe 146 series airplanes and Model Avro 146-RJ series airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of cracking of the main fitting of the nose landing gear (NLG). This proposed AD would require revising the maintenance program by incorporating a new safe-life limitation for the NLG main fitting. We are proposing this AD to prevent collapse of the NLG, which could lead to degradation of direction control on the ground or an un-commanded turn to the left and a consequent loss of control of the airplane on the ground, possibly resulting in damage to the airplane and injury to occupants.

This action proposes special conditions for the Bombardier Inc. Models BD-500-1A10 and BD-500-1A11 series airplanes. These airplanes will have a novel or unusual design feature associated with a new control architecture and a full digital flight control system that provides flight envelope protections. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature. These proposed special conditions contain the additional safety standards that the Administrator considers necessary to establish a level of safety equivalent to that established by the existing airworthiness standards.

This action proposes special conditions for the Bombardier Inc. Models BD-500-1A10 and BD-500-1A11 series airplanes. These airplanes will have a novel or unusual design feature associated with an electronic flight control system that contains fly-by-wire control laws, including envelope protections, for the overspeed protection and roll limiting function. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature. These proposed special conditions contain the additional safety standards that the Administrator considers necessary to establish a level of safety equivalent to that established by the existing airworthiness standards.