Federal Railroad Administration August 2017 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This document provides notice of FRA's intent to issue a Safety Advisory alerting railroads, contractors, and the rail welding industry of the potential for electrode-induced rail pitting and fatigue cracking during the pressure electric rail welding process. Based on investigation and research, FRA believes improper electrode contact to the rail during the welding process can result in electrode- induced pitting that may lead to fatigue fracture and ultimately rail failure. The draft Safety Advisory includes recommendations to help the industry prevent electrode-induced rail pitting and to inspect for and then remediate such pitting if it occurs. FRA invites public comment on all aspects of the draft Safety Advisory.

Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), this notice announces that FRA is forwarding the Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted 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 22, 2017, FRA published a notice providing a 60-day period for public comment on the ICR.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) (collectively, the Agencies) withdraw the March 10, 2016, advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) concerning the prevalence of moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) among individuals occupying safety sensitive positions in highway and rail transportation, and its potential consequences for the safety of highway and rail transportation. The Agencies have determined not to issue a notice of proposed rulemaking at this time.