Show your support: FRA comment period still open for Texas Central high-speed rule making
April 2nd, 2020
April 2, 2020 - TRA Newswire -
You still have time to send the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) a comment that favors the safety standards the agency is proposing for Texas Central's high speed rail line between Dallas and Houston.
On March 10, 2020, the FRA published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that would establish safety standards for the Texas Central Railroad (TCRR) high speed rail system. Comments on the rule making must be submitted before May 11.
The FRA was to hold three public hearings in the Dallas area, Houston area and one in a rural county but because of the COVID-19 outbreak public gatherings have been cancelled.
According to the FRA, they are "proposing a rule of particular applicability (RPA) to establish safety standards for the Texas Central Railroad (TCRR or the railroad) high speed rail system. The proposed standards are not intended for general application in the railroad industry, but would apply only to the TCRR system planned for development in the State of Texas. The proposed RPA takes a systems approach to safety, and so includes standards that address all aspects of the TCRR high-speed system, including signal and train set control, track, rolling stock, operating practices, system qualifications, and maintenance. The TCRR system is planned to operate from Houston to Dallas, on dedicated track, with no grade crossings, at speeds not to exceed 330 km/h (205 mph). The TCRR rolling stock, track, and core systems will replicate the Central Japan Railway Company (JRC), Tokaido Shinkansen high-speed rail system, and will be used exclusively for revenue passenger service."
"A positive word about the detailed work that has gone into the high-speed passenger rail rule making, the first time this has ever been done in the U.S. would help make the case to advance a bullet train project in Texas," according to Texas Rail Advocates President Peter LeCody. "Texas Central has been working very closely with the FRA to make sure that rules and protocols will be in place for a safe and secure rail line. Texas Central's system is based on technology that has been carrying high-speed rail passengers in Japan safely for over half a century."
Details on the safety standards in the proposed rule making can be found at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/03/10/2020-03521/texas-central-railroad-high-speed-rail-safety-standards#h-9
TRA is asking interested citizens that want to see high-speed rail in Texas to post a positive statement at https://www.regulations.gov/searchResults?rpp=25&po=0&s=FRA-2019-0068&fp=true&ns=true
Comments: Comments related to Docket No. FRA-2019-0068, Notice No. 1, may be submitted by any of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and follow the online instructions for submitting comments;
Fax: 202-493-2251;
Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590; or
Hand Delivery: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W12-140 is located on the ground level of the West Building, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and docket number or Regulatory Identification Number (RIN) for this rulemaking (2130-AC84). Note that all comments received will be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided. Please see the Privacy Act heading in the Supplementary Information section of this document for Privacy Act information related to any submitted comments or materials.
Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov at any time or visit the Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W12-140 on the Ground level of the West Building, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
You still have time to send the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) a comment that favors the safety standards the agency is proposing for Texas Central's high speed rail line between Dallas and Houston.
On March 10, 2020, the FRA published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that would establish safety standards for the Texas Central Railroad (TCRR) high speed rail system. Comments on the rule making must be submitted before May 11.
The FRA was to hold three public hearings in the Dallas area, Houston area and one in a rural county but because of the COVID-19 outbreak public gatherings have been cancelled.
According to the FRA, they are "proposing a rule of particular applicability (RPA) to establish safety standards for the Texas Central Railroad (TCRR or the railroad) high speed rail system. The proposed standards are not intended for general application in the railroad industry, but would apply only to the TCRR system planned for development in the State of Texas. The proposed RPA takes a systems approach to safety, and so includes standards that address all aspects of the TCRR high-speed system, including signal and train set control, track, rolling stock, operating practices, system qualifications, and maintenance. The TCRR system is planned to operate from Houston to Dallas, on dedicated track, with no grade crossings, at speeds not to exceed 330 km/h (205 mph). The TCRR rolling stock, track, and core systems will replicate the Central Japan Railway Company (JRC), Tokaido Shinkansen high-speed rail system, and will be used exclusively for revenue passenger service."
"A positive word about the detailed work that has gone into the high-speed passenger rail rule making, the first time this has ever been done in the U.S. would help make the case to advance a bullet train project in Texas," according to Texas Rail Advocates President Peter LeCody. "Texas Central has been working very closely with the FRA to make sure that rules and protocols will be in place for a safe and secure rail line. Texas Central's system is based on technology that has been carrying high-speed rail passengers in Japan safely for over half a century."
Details on the safety standards in the proposed rule making can be found at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/03/10/2020-03521/texas-central-railroad-high-speed-rail-safety-standards#h-9
TRA is asking interested citizens that want to see high-speed rail in Texas to post a positive statement at https://www.regulations.gov/searchResults?rpp=25&po=0&s=FRA-2019-0068&fp=true&ns=true
Comments: Comments related to Docket No. FRA-2019-0068, Notice No. 1, may be submitted by any of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and follow the online instructions for submitting comments;
Fax: 202-493-2251;
Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590; or
Hand Delivery: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W12-140 is located on the ground level of the West Building, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and docket number or Regulatory Identification Number (RIN) for this rulemaking (2130-AC84). Note that all comments received will be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided. Please see the Privacy Act heading in the Supplementary Information section of this document for Privacy Act information related to any submitted comments or materials.
Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov at any time or visit the Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W12-140 on the Ground level of the West Building, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.