2011-4025. Notice of Application for Approval of Discontinuance or Modification of a Railroad Signal System

Pursuant to Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part 235 and 49 U.S.C. 20502(a), the following railroad has petitioned the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) seeking approval for the discontinuance or modification of the signal system, as detailed below.

Applicant: Union Pacific Railroad Company, Mr. William E. Van Trump, AVP Engineering—Signal/Comm./TCO, 1400 Douglas Street, STOP 0910, Omaha, Nebraska 68179.

The Union Pacific Railroad Company (UP) seeks approval of the proposed discontinuance of the Automatic Block Signal system on the Strang Subdivision between control point Tower 68, at milepost (MP) 0.42, and holding signal ST912, at MP 2, near Englewood, Texas. The discontinuance consists of the removal of six automatic signals as well as the circuit controllers from five hand-operated switches and one hand-operated crossover. The hand-operated switches will remain in the application area without signal protection. The application area is to be Yard Limits and shall contain Remote Control Locomotive operations. The reason given for the proposed changes is that the signal system is no longer needed for efficient and safe operation of trains in this area.

Interested parties are invited to participate in these proceedings by submitting written views, data, or comments. FRA does not anticipate scheduling a public hearing in connection with these proceedings since the facts do not appear to warrant a hearing. If any interested party desires an opportunity for oral comment, they should notify FRA, in writing, before the end of the comment period and specify the basis for their request.

All communications concerning these proceedings should identify the appropriate docket number (e.g., Waiver Petition Docket Number FRA-2011-0008) and may be submitted by any of the following methods:

• Web site: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
• Fax: [phone].
• Mail: Docket Operations Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., W12-140, Washington, DC 20590.
• Hand Delivery: 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

Communications received within 45 days of the date of this notice will be considered by FRA before final action is taken. Comments received after that date will be considered as far as practicable. All written communications concerning these proceedings are available for examination during regular business hours (9 a.m.-5 p.m.) at the above facility. All documents in the public docket are also available for inspection and copying on the Internet at the docket facility's Web site at http://www.regulations.gov.

Anyone is able to search the electronic form of any written communications and comments received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual submitting the document (or signing the document, if submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 70; Page 19477) or at http://www.dot.gov/​privacy.html.

Issued in Washington, DC, on February 16, 2011.

Robert C. Lauby,

Deputy Associate Administrator for Regulatory and Legislative Operations.