[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 89 (Monday, May 10, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25114-25115]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-11624]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
Petition for Reconsideration of Waiver of Compliance
In accordance with Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations Sections
211.9 and 211.41 notice is hereby given that the Federal Railroad
Administration (FRA) has received a request for reconsideration of a
waiver of compliance from certain requirements of Federal railroad
safety regulations. The individual petition is described below,
including the parties seeking relief, the regulatory provisions
involved and the nature of the relief being requested.
National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Waiver Petition Docket
Number H-96-1)
The Federal Railroad Administration has received a request from the
National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) to modify conditions
set forth in the conditionally approved Petition for Waiver of
Compliance, H-96-1. That waiver is for the development, testing,
installation, and demonstration of a communication-based train control
system in Amtrak's Detroit to Chicago Corridor.
Amtrak requests that Condition No. 1, of H-96-1, ``Waiver is not
for revenue service,'' be changed to include daily revenue service
trains, with newly defined conditions.
The waiver granted permission to operate a test train at speeds
exceeding 79 MPH, but not to exceed 110 MPH, with the following
conditions:
1. Waiver is not for revenue service.
2. Compliance with Test Plan 081776-070 REV. A04.
3. Waiver is granted until July 1, 1997.
4. FRA reserves the right to modify or rescind this waiver upon
receipt of information pertaining to the safety of rail operations or
in the event of noncompliance with the conditions of this approval.
(Condition 3 has since been modified twice, with the waiver currently
granted until December of 1999.)
A test train was operated successfully at speeds up to 100 MPH in
the fall of 1996. Much was accomplished in these tests, much data was
collected, and the supplier of this system, Harmon Industries, is
currently deeply involved in the integration of the system. This
integration involves an exhaustive investigation of all possible
failure modes of the train control system in order to be able to
certify the fail-safety of the system when the final release to Amtrak
is made for in-service testing for revenue service.
It has become apparent the vendor will not be able to fully
complete the validation and verification of the wayside and location
processor subsystems until mid-year 2000, and the host (on-board)
processor subsystem until the end of the third quarter of year 2001.
The partners in this project believe that an important part of the
development of this project, that must not be delayed, is the next step
in
[[Page 25115]]
testing to determine the reliability of the system in regular revenue
service.
In view of the significant delays encountered in developing the
full validation and verification, Amtrak now would like to commence
testing the system in revenue service. They propose that the system
actually be placed in daily service for a significant ``burn-in''
period with close monitoring to develop the availability/reliability of
the system. This would be done in parallel with the ongoing validation
and verification effort, and would be done in such a way that it would
not have an adverse impact on the revenue service trains. Initially,
revenue service trains would be ITCS equipped and operated through the
ITCS test territory with the P2A valve cut out and no ITCS operating
rules in effect, at speeds not to exceed 79 MPH. After this first 90
day period the P2A valve would be cut in and ITCS operating rules would
be in effect, with maximum speed being 79 MPH for an additional 90
days. Further, Amtrak requests that the limits of the test bed for the
purpose of this waiver, be extended as wayside equipment is cut-over,
eastward from Signal 175 to Signal 150 west of Oshtemo, Michigan, and
westward from Signal 195 to Signal 216, west of Three Oaks, Michigan.
Amtrak's proposed timetables are:
ITCS Cutover, P2A valve cut out
Estimated Duration--90 days
Maximum Passenger Speed--79 MPH
Location--Signal 175 (M.P.175.2) to Signal 195 (M.P.
195.55)
ITCS Operating Rules not in effect
Commence--April 1999
P2A valve cut-in
Estimated Duration--90 days
Maximum Passenger Speed--79 MPH
Location--Signal 175 (M.P.175.2) to Signal 195 (M.P.
195.55)
ITCS Operating Rules in effect
Commence--July 1999
ITCS data from the following sources will be evaluated via remote
modem technology from Harmon's Grain Valley technical facility:
Departure Test Devices
Wayside Interface Units and Wayside Interface Unit-Servers
Locomotive and Non-Powered Control Units On-board Computer
Home and Intermediate Signals
Grade Crossings
Revenue Service, Limited
Estimated Duration--300 days
Maximum Passenger Speed--90 MPH
Location--Signal 150 to Signal 216
ITCS Operating Rules in effect
Commence--October 1999
FRA feels that Amtrak can continue, under H-96-1 existing
conditions, with ITCS Cutover, P2A Cut-Out. This is a 90 day period
allowing for wayside equipment cutover, and on-board data gathering
within the 20 mile test bed and at speeds not to exceed 79 MPH, with no
ITCS rules in effect, and the P2A valve not cut-in to the ITCS. This
period is to commence in April 1999.
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 this proceedings should identify by
the docket number (1) and must be submitted in triplicate to the Docket
Clerk, DOT Central Docket Management Facility, Room PI-401, Washington,
DC 20590-0001. Communications received within 30 days 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 (9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.) at DOT
Central Docket Management Facility, Room PL-401 (Plaza Level), 400
Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 20590-0001. 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://dms.dot.gov.
Issued in Washington, DC on May 3, 1999.
Grady C. Cothen, Jr.,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety Standards and Program
Development.
[FR Doc. 99-11624 Filed 5-7-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P
