Federal Railroad Administration – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This document provides the public with notice that, on August 15, 2024, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) submitted a request for amendment (RFA) to its FRA-certified positive train control (PTC) system, the Advanced Civil Speed Enforcement System II (ACSES II). FRA is publishing this notice and inviting public comment on the railroad's RFA to its PTC system.

Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and its implementing regulations, FRA seeks approval of the Information Collection Request (ICR) summarized below. Before submitting this ICR to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval, FRA is soliciting public comment on specific aspects of the activities identified in the ICR.

On November 15, 2021, President Biden signed into law the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The BIL provides historic appropriations for railroad transportation grant programs administered by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and authorizes new programs to enhance rail safety and to repair, restore, improve, and expand the nation's rail network. Among those new programs is the Corridor Identification and Development Program (CID Program), which creates a new framework to facilitate the development of new, enhanced, and restored intercity passenger rail corridors throughout the country. Railroad Operations Analysis (OA) uses data to assess changes to railroad operations and/or capital project improvements to railroad infrastructure and is frequently part of the planning process for rail projects. OA involves the collaboration of various rail stakeholders and the sharing of data and information. As a result of the CID Program, there is an increased need for FRA and rail stakeholders to participate in OA and evaluate OA results. FRA finds value in conducting OA in a collaborative manner to promote increased confidence in the OA among stakeholders and support Federal FRA investments in infrastructure projects. In this RFI, FRA seeks public comments on the challenges involved in OA, how FRA may address those challenges, and how FRA may improve OA for Federally funded railroad projects.

This document provides the public with notice that, on May 29, 2024, and July 19, 2024, Brightline Trains Florida (BLF) submitted a request for amendment (RFA) to its FRA-approved Positive Train Control Safety Plan (PTCSP). As this RFA involves a request for FRA's approval of proposed material modifications to an FRA-certified positive train control (PTC) system, FRA is publishing this notice and inviting public comment on the railroad's RFA to its PTCSP.

Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and its implementing regulations, FRA seeks approval of the Information Collection Request (ICR) summarized below. Before submitting this ICR to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval, FRA is soliciting public comment on specific aspects of the activities identified in the ICR.

Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and its implementing regulations, this notice announces that FRA is forwarding the Information Collection Request (ICR) summarized below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICR describes the information collection and its expected burden. On May 28, 2024, FRA published a notice providing a 60-day period for public comment on the ICR. FRA received no comments in response to the notice.

This document provides the public with notice that, on July 19, 2024, Central Florida Rail Corridor (CFRC) submitted a request for amendment (RFA) to its FRA-approved Positive Train Control Safety Plan (PTCSP). As this RFA involves a request for FRA's approval of proposed material modifications to an FRA-certified positive train control (PTC) system, FRA is publishing this notice and inviting public comment on the railroad's RFA to its PTCSP.

This document provides the public with notice that on July 11, 2024, five host railroads submitted a joint request for amendment (RFA) to their FRA-approved Positive Train Control Safety Plans (PTCSP). As this joint RFA may involve requests for FRA's approval of proposed material modifications to FRA-certified positive train control (PTC) systems, FRA is publishing this notice and inviting public comment on railroads' joint RFA to their PTCSPs.

This document provides the public with notice that, on July 1, 2024, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) submitted a request for amendment (RFA) to its FRA-approved Positive Train Control Safety Plan (PTCSP) to request approval for a planned positive train control (PTC) system outage of its Mixed System PTC system for maintenance purposes during the month of August 2024. As this RFA may involve a request for FRA's approval of proposed material modifications to an FRA-certified positive train control (PTC) system, FRA is publishing this notice and inviting public comment on Amtrak's RFA to its PTCSP.

Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and its implementing regulations, FRA seeks approval of the Information Collection Request (ICR) summarized below. Before submitting this ICR to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval, FRA is soliciting public comment on specific aspects of the activities identified in the ICR.

This document provides the public with notice that, on June 19, 2024, Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board (Caltrain) submitted a request for amendment (RFA) to its FRA-approved Positive Train Control Safety Plan (PTCSP) to support material modifications to its positive train control (PTC) system and Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) operations by modifying its PTC system software version 6.5.4.0, including changes to the PTC Penalty and Emergency Brake Output Change and Phase Break Function. As this RFA involves a request for FRA's approval of proposed material modifications to an FRA-certified PTC system, FRA is publishing this notice and inviting public comment on Caltrain's RFA to its PTCSP.

This document provides the public with notice that, on June 7, 2024, the Southern California Regional Rail Authority (Metrolink) submitted a request for amendment (RFA) to its FRA-certified positive train control (PTC) system. FRA is publishing this notice and inviting public comment on the railroad's RFA to its PTC system.

This document provides the public with notice that, on May 30, 2024, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) submitted a request for amendment (RFA) to its FRA-approved Positive Train Control Safety Plan (PTCSP) in order to update its Positive Train Control (PTC) Onboard Computer (OBC) to Software Version 11.6. As this RFA involves a request for FRA's approval of proposed material modifications to an FRA-certified PTC system, including changes to address known software errors, FRA is publishing this notice and inviting public comment on MBTA's RFA to its PTCSP.

This document provides the public with notice that, on May 17, 2024, Metro-North Railroad (MNR) submitted a request for amendment (RFA) to its FRA-approved Positive Train Control Safety Plan (PTCSP) in order to update its positive train control (PTC) Onboard Computer (OBC) to System Release 5.04.002. As this RFA may involve a request for FRA's approval of proposed material modifications to an FRA-certified PTC system, FRA is publishing this notice and inviting public comment on MNR's RFA to its PTCSP.

Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and its implementing regulations, FRA seeks approval of the Information Collection Request (ICR) summarized below. Before submitting this ICR to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval, FRA is soliciting public comment on specific aspects of the activities identified in the ICR.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is issuing a waiver of its Buy America requirements to the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) for high-speed rail components that are not produced in the United States for use in the Brightline West High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail System between Las Vegas, NV and Rancho Cucamonga, CA (Project). FRA selected the Project for funding under the Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Program (FSP Program), and therefore FRA's Buy America requirements apply to the Project. FRA's Buy America requirements include: FRA's statutory requirements, which require 100 percent of the manufactured products, steel, and iron used in an FRA-funded project to be produced in the United States; and the Build America, Buy America Act (BABA), which requires all construction materials used in the FRA-funded project to be produced in the United States. FRA is not waiving the applicable BABA requirements for construction materials, and therefore this waiver does not apply to the construction materials used in the Project. Brightline West, the project sponsor, has selected Siemens as its preferred rolling stock vendor, and requested that FRA proceed with finalizing the Buy America waiver request for the Siemens trains and other components as included in the previously submitted documentation. Therefore, FRA is waiving its requirements for the first two Siemens trainsets, car shells, signal systems, high-speed rail turnout, and fire alarm systems based on the domestic nonavailability of these components, as described in the proposed waiver. NDOT and Brightline West estimate that more than 95 percent of the total direct dollar expenditures for the Project will be spent on domestically sourced products and labor, including 100 percent of the civil infrastructure costs.

FRA is establishing regulations for the certification of dispatchers, pursuant to the authority granted in section 402 of the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (RSIA).