Federal Railroad Administration October 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

FRA hereby gives notice that it is seeking emergency approval processing from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35) for the information collection request (ICR) listed below. FRA requests that OMB authorize the collection of information identified below on or before October 31, 2008, for a period of 180 days after the date of issuance of this notice in the Federal Register. On October 7, 2008, in response to the September 12, 2008, Chatsworth, California, collision of a Union Pacific (UP) freight train and a Metrolink commuter train, which resulted in the deaths of 25 people and numerous injuries, as well as other recent accidents/incidents involving cell phone use and use of electronic/electrical devices, FRA published in the Federal Register Emergency Order No. 26 (E.O. 26) (see 73 FR 58702) restricting on-duty railroad operating employees' use of cell phones and other distracting electronic and electronic devices. Because E.O. 26 goes into effect on October 27, 2008, and because E.O. 26 imposes information collection requirements that must be fulfilled by the nation's railroads, FRA is seeking emergency approval for the proposed collection of information to enforce compliance with E.O. 26 and to ensure the safety of affected railroad employees and the general public during train operations throughout the United States.

FRA is issuing revisions to the regulations governing freight power brakes and equipment by adding a new subpart addressing electronically controlled pneumatic (ECP) brake systems. The revisions are designed to provide for and encourage the safe implementation and use of ECP brake system technologies. These revisions contains specific requirements relating to design, interoperability, training, inspection, testing, handling defective equipment, and periodic maintenance related to ECP brake systems. The final rule also identifies provisions of the existing regulations and statutes where FRA is proposing to provide flexibility to facilitate the voluntary adoption of this advanced brake system technology.

On September 26, 2008, the Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) determined that the impending landfall of tropical storm Kyle on the coast of the United States and the potential of that storm to reach hurricane status constituted an emergency event as related to railroad operations. Accordingly, the Administrator activated the Emergency Relief Docket. This document provides notice of the Administrator's determination.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and its implementing regulations, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) hereby announces that it is seeking approval of the following information collection activities. Before submitting these information collection requirements for clearance by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), FRA is soliciting public comment on specific aspects of the activities identified below.