Federal Railroad Administration April 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

FRA is amending the regulations related to safety appliance arrangements on railroad equipment. The amendments will promote the safe placement and securement of safety appliances on modern rail equipment by establishing a process for the review and approval of existing industry standards. This process will permit railroad industry representatives to submit requests for the approval of existing industry standards relating to the safety appliance arrangements on newly constructed railroad cars, locomotives, tenders, or other rail vehicles in lieu of the specific provisions currently contained in part 231. It is anticipated that this special approval process will further railroad safety by allowing FRA to consider technological advancements and ergonomic design standards for new car construction and ensuring that modern rail equipment complies with the applicable statutory and safety-critical regulatory requirements related to safety appliances while also providing the flexibility to efficiently address safety appliance requirements on new designs in the future for railroad cars, locomotives, tenders, or other rail vehicles.

FRA is issuing Safety Advisory 2011-01 to remind each railroad and railroad employees of the importance of compliance with Federal regulations and railroad operating rules regarding rolling equipment being left in a location that is clear of any adjacent tracks. This safety advisory contains various recommendations to railroads to ensure that this issue is addressed by appropriate policies and procedures, and receives employee compliance.

FRA is issuing this notice to advise the public that a Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is being published for the DesertXpress High-Speed Passenger Train Project (DesertXpress project). FRA is the Lead Agency for the environmental review process and has prepared the Final EIS consistent with the provisions of Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Counsel of Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations implementing NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500 et seq.), and FRA's Procedures for Considering Environmental Impacts (64 FR 28545, May 26, 1999). The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Surface Transportation Board (STB), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and the National Park Service (NPS) coordinated with the FRA as Cooperating Agencies for the DesertXpress project environmental review process. DesertXpress Enterprises Inc., the DesertXpress project proponent or Applicant, proposes to construct and operate a fully grade- separated, dedicated double-track, passenger-only railroad along an approximately 200-mile corridor, from Victorville, California, to Las Vegas, Nevada. The Preferred Alternative rail alignment would generally be immediately adjacent to the Interstate 15 (I-15) freeway travel lanes within the existing Interstate 15 (I-15) right-of-way (ROW). The Preferred Alternative also includes passenger station and maintenance facility sites in Victorville and greater Las Vegas.