Notice of Petition for Extension of Waiver of Compliance

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Railroad Administration [Docket Number FRA-2009-0116] Notice of Petition for Extension of Waiver of Compliance AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of Transportation (DOT). ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: This document provides the public notice that Union Pacific Railroad Company (UP) petitioned FRA for an extension of relief from certain regulations concerning periodic testing requirements on vital microprocessor-based signal systems. DATES: FRA must receive comments on the petition by August 31, 2026. FRA will consider comments received after that date to the extent practicable. ADDRESSES: Comments: Comments related to this docket may be submitted by going to https://www.regulations.gov and following the online instructions for submitting comments. Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and docket number. All comments received will be posted without change to https://www.regulations.gov; this includes any personal information. 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 https://www.regulations.gov and follow the online instructions for accessing the docket. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Scott Johnson, Railroad Safety Specialist, FRA Signal, Train Control, and Crossings Division, telephone: 406-657-6642, email: scott.j.johnson@dot.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under part 211 of title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), this document provides the public notice that by letter dated May 8, 2026, UP petitioned FRA for an extension of a waiver of compliance from certain provisions of the Federal railroad safety regulations contained at 49 CFR part 236 (Rules, Standards, and Instructions Governing the Installation, Inspection, Maintenance, and Repair of Signal and Train Control Systems, Devices, and Appliances). The relevant Docket Number is FRA-2009-0116. Specifically, UP seeks an extension of relief from the 2-year periodic testing requirements in §§ 236.377, Approach locking; 236.378, Time locking; 236.379, Route locking; 236.380, Indication locking; and 236.381, Traffic locking, related to vital microprocessor-based systems. The existing relief extends the testing requirements in these sections from “at least once every 2 years” to every 4 years, after initial testing is completed. In its petition, UP states that “[e]liminating test redundancies improves safety by limiting disruption to signal circuits and train operations and reducing potential employee exposures and instances of track fouling.” A copy of the petition, as well as any written communications concerning the petition, is available for review online at www.regulations.gov. 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 and a public hearing, they should notify FRA, in writing, before the end of the comment period and specify the basis for their request. Communications received by August 31, 2026 will be considered by FRA before final action is taken. Comments received after that date will be considered if practicable. Privacy Act Anyone can search the electronic form of any written communications and comments received into any of FRA's dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment (or signing the document, if submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.). Under 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits comments from the public to inform its processes. DOT posts these comments, without edit, including any personal information the commenter provides, to www.regulations.gov, as described in the system of records notice (DOT/ALL-14 FDMS), which can be reviewed at https://www.transportation.gov/privacy. See also https://www.regulations.gov/privacy-notice for the privacy notice of regulations.gov. Issued in Washington, DC. John Karl Alexy, Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety, Chief Safety Officer. [FR Doc. 2026-13202 Filed 6-29-26; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910-06-P