[Federal Register: August 26, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 165)]
[Notices]               
[Page 46745-46746]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr26au99-135]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket No. RSAC-96-1, Notice No. 18]

 
Railroad Safety Advisory Committee; Notice of Meeting

AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of Railroad Safety Advisory Committee (``RSAC'') 
meeting.

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SUMMARY: FRA announces the next meeting of the RSAC, a Federal Advisory 
Committee that develops railroad safety regulations through a consensus 
process. The meeting will address a wide range of topics, including 
possible adoption of specific recommendations for regulatory action.

DATES: The meeting of the RSAC is scheduled to commence at 9:30 a.m. 
and conclude at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 8, 1999.

ADDRESSES: The meeting of the RSAC will be held at The Wyndham Hotel, 
1400 M Street NW, Washington, DC. The meeting is open to the public on 
a first-come, first-served basis and is accessible to individuals with 
disabilities. Sign language interpreters will be available for 
individuals with hearing impediments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Vicky McCully, RSAC Coordinator, FRA, 
1120 Vermont Avenue, NW, Stop 25, Washington, DC 20590, (202)493-6305 
or Grady Cothen, Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety Standards 
and Program Development, FRA, 1120 Vermont Avenue, NW, Stop 25, 
Washington, DC 20590, (202) 493-6302.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:.
    Pursuant to section 10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act 
(Pub. L. 92-463), FRA is giving notice of a meeting of the Railroad 
Safety Advisory Committee (``RSAC''). The meeting is scheduled to begin 
at 9:30 a.m. and conclude at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, September 8, 1999. 
The meeting will be held at The Wyndham Hotel, 1400 M Street, NW, 
Washington, DC. All times noted are Eastern Standard Time.
    RSAC was established to provide advice and recommendations to the 
FRA on railroad safety matters. The Committee consists of 48 individual

[[Page 46746]]

representatives, drawn from among 27 organizations representing various 
rail industry perspectives, and 2 associate non-voting representatives 
from the agencies with railroad safety regulatory responsibility in 
Canada and Mexico. Staff of the National Transportation Safety Board 
and Federal Transit Administration also participate in an advisory 
capacity.
    During this meeting, the RSAC will be briefed on the proposed 
standard for locomotive sanitary conditions, which has been forwarded 
to the Locomotive Cab Working Conditions Working Group for consensus 
approval to become the Working Group's recommendation to the full RSAC.
    The RSAC will be requested to vote on the proposed adoption of the 
Positive Train Control Working Group's, Report on Implementation of 
Positive Train Control Systems, as the RSAC's report to the Federal 
Railroad Administrator.
    A status report will be provided by the Accident/Incident Working 
Group, tasked with evaluating the concept of a reportable train 
accident, specifically the means by which the railroad property damage 
threshold is calculated. The Locomotive Crashworthiness Working Group 
will brief the RSAC on the status of proposed recommended standards for 
freight, passenger and switching locomotives.
    A discussion on the issue of qualification and certification of 
safety-critical employees will be conducted, based on information to be 
provided to the FRA by the RSAC members.
    FRA may request the RSAC to accept a task that would include 
revising the regulations governing the protection of employees engaged 
in the inspection, testing, repair and servicing of rolling equipment 
(49 CFR part 218, subpart B).
    Informational briefings will be provided to the RSAC on safety-
related issues of general interest.
    Please refer to the notice published in the Federal Register on 
March 11, 1996 (61 FR 9740) for more information about the RSAC.

    Issued in Washington, D.C. on August 23, 1999.
George A. Gavalla,
Acting Associate Administrator for Safety.
[FR Doc. 99-22219 Filed 8-25-99; 8:45 am]
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