[Federal Register: July 3, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 128)]
[Notices]
[Page 40018-40020]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr03jy03-154]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
Notice of Funds Availability for the Next Generation High-Speed
Rail Program: Revenue Service Demonstration of Compliant Diesel
Multiple Unit (DMU) Self-Propelled Passenger Cars
AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: Under this Notice, the FRA encourages interested parties to
submit by July 31, 2003, a Statement of Interest in receiving a grant
to support a demonstration in daily revenue commuter or intercity
passenger service, during calendar years 2003 and 2004, of Diesel
Multiple Unit (DMU) self-propelled passenger rail cars which comply
with all current Federal passenger car safety standards (``Compliant
DMU''). The purpose of the demonstration is to determine the current
availability of Compliant DMU technology and the suitability of this
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equipment for regularly scheduled revenue service in the U.S. The
subject Compliant DMU must meet all of the current requirements of 49
CFR part 238, as amended; compliance via ``grandfathering'' is not
acceptable for the purposes of this announcement.
DATES: The deadline for submissions of Statements of Interest is the
close of business, Thursday, July 31, 2003. The actual deadline for the
submission of applications will be noted in the solicitation from FRA
to prospective grantees as a result of the evaluation of the Statements
of Interest.
ADDRESSES: Applicants must submit an original and six (6) copies to the
Federal Railroad Administration at one of the following addresses:
Postal address (note correct zip code): Federal Railroad
Administration, Attention: Robert L. Carpenter, Office of Procurement
Services (RAD-30), Mail Stop 50, 1120 Vermont Ave., NW.,
Washington, DC 20590.
FedEx/courier address (note correct zip code): Federal Railroad
Administration, Attention: Robert L. Carpenter, Office of Procurement
Services (RAD-30), Room 6126, 1120 Vermont Ave., NW.,
Washington, DC 20005.
Due to delays caused by enhanced screening of mail delivered via
the U.S. Postal Service, applicants are encouraged to use other means
to assure timely receipt of materials.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Sill, Program Manager, Office of
Railroad Development (RDV-11), Federal Railroad Administration, 1120
Vermont Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20590. Phone: (202) 493-6348; Fax:
(202) 493-6330, or Robert Carpenter, Grants Officer, Office of
Acquisition and Grants Services (RAD-30), Federal Railroad
Administration, 1120 Vermont Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20590. Phone:
(202) 493-6153; Fax: (202) 493-6171.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The demonstration will be supported with up
to $3,974,000 of Federal funds provided to FRA's Next Generation High-
Speed Rail Program as part of the Fiscal Year 2003 Department of
Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (included in
Division I of the Consolidated Appropriations Resolution, 2003 (Pub. L.
108-7, February 20, 2003)). The Federal funds must be matched on a
dollar-for-dollar basis from non-Federal sources. FRA anticipates
soliciting a single grant application and awarding a single grant for
the demonstration to a public transportation agency, with the intent of
beginning demonstration as soon as possible. The funds made available
under this grant will be available for activities related to
establishing compliance of the DMU design with existing Federal
passenger safety standards (49 CFR part 238, as amended), for the
acquisition of DMUs through a conventional competitive procurement
process, and for service facilities necessary for revenue service
demonstration. The grantee will be responsible for all other expenses
of the demonstration, including the cost of passenger facilities and
any net operating expenses. FRA anticipates that no further public
notice will be made with respect to selecting applicants for this
demonstration.
Purpose: There is substantial interest in the expanded use of
passenger rail service to help address congestion in other modes of
transportation and/or to provide for additional alternatives to meet
current and future mobility needs. Transportation planners and
decision-makers have expressed an interest in alternatives to
locomotive hauled trains, which are currently the most prevalent form
of passenger rail transportation in areas where electric operation is
not available. Historically, DMUs were available for this purpose, but
none has entered service domestically since FRA issued the Passenger
Equipment Safety Standards Final Rule on May 12, 1999. Indeed, no DMUs
had been built new in the U.S. for decades before the issuance of that
rule. The purpose of the demonstration is to determine whether the
current state of railroad technology development offers the
availability, in the very near term, of a DMU self-propelled passenger
car that meets current Federal passenger car safety standards found at
49 CFR part 238, as amended. If such technology is available, the
demonstration will develop technology-specific cost, maintenance,
reliability and operating data to help transportation planners and
decision makers determine whether a Compliant DMU should be considered
as an option for rail-based transportation. The equipment must meet all
of the current requirements of 49 CFR part 238, as amended; compliance
via ``grandfathering'' is not acceptable for the purposes of this
announcement.
Authority: The authority for the Program can be found in Title 49,
United States Code, Section 26102 and in Fiscal Year 2003 Department of
Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (included in
Division I of the Consolidated Appropriations Resolution, 2003 (Pub. L.
108-7, February 20, 2003)). The Secretary of Transportation's
responsibilities under this program have been delegated to the Federal
Railroad Administration.
Funding: Fiscal Year 2003 Department of Transportation and Related
Agencies Appropriations Act provides $3,974,000 and directs FRA to
award a grant to demonstrate Compliant DMU vehicles. It is anticipated
that the available funding will support one demonstration. Additional
funding for this or related work may be available in subsequent fiscal
years.
Schedule for Demonstration Program: As directed by the Congress,
FRA anticipates beginning demonstration activities in calendar 2003 and
continuing them in 2004. It is anticipated that evaluation of the
demonstration operation will continue for up to two years beyond the
initial funding year. FRA anticipates that the eligible participant(s)
will, where necessary, contract or otherwise enter into partnerships
with developers and manufacturers of Compliant DMUs to accomplish the
demonstration.
Eligible Participants: Any United States public transportation
agency or combination of such agencies is eligible to apply for funding
under this Notice. For state applicants, if the proposed demonstration
territory is in more than one state, a single state agency should apply
on behalf of all of the participating states.
Eligible Technology Demonstrations: Eligible projects must
demonstrate a Compliant DMU vehicle in daily revenue passenger service.
Requirements for Statements of Interest: The following points
describe minimum content which will be required in Statements of
Interest. Each Statement of Interest will:
1. Describe the proposed demonstration in detail, including the
location and transportation service to be provided, the anticipated
start date and duration of the demonstration, anticipated schedules,
passenger service facilities to be employed, anticipated passenger
utilization of the demonstration service, and how necessary maintenance
and support operations will be conducted.
2. Describe the types of DMU technology that the public agency is
considering and how the Compliant DMU used in the proposed
demonstration will be selected.
3. Describe the rail line on which the proposed demonstration will
be conducted, including any discussions the public agency has had with
the owner of the rail line in connection with the proposed
demonstration.
4. Describe the traffic types (including ownership of trains),
volumes, and
[[Page 40020]]
speeds presently involved in operation on the demonstration track
segment(s), the planned Compliant DMU demonstration service volumes and
speeds, and the estimated potential corridor service volumes and
speeds.
5. Specify the quantities and ownerships of operating vehicles
which are anticipated to be utilized to accomplish the demonstration.
6. Show how the demonstration system initially will operate in
relation to existing service, both passenger and freight.
7. Show the estimated total cost and time for accomplishing each
task for implementing the demonstration, including estimates broken
out, at a minimum, into the following categories: demonstration
planning and installation, Compliant DMU equipment acquisition, and
operating and maintenance schedules and costs. Specify sources of
proposed funding, clearly indicating sources for the required non-
Federal dollar-for-dollar cash match.
8. Specify what organizations will supply and install key
components of the demonstration system and, to the extent available,
provide letters of commitment supporting the proposed activities,
schedules, and non-Federal cost sharing. Letters of support from the
railroad whose tracks and facilities are to be used for the
demonstration should be included.
9. Discuss the systematic operational recording, monitoring,
analysis, and reporting procedures to be followed during the
demonstration.
10. Discuss plans for training and familiarization of operating and
maintenance personnel for the demonstration system.
Selection Criteria: The following will be considered to be positive
selection factors in evaluating Statements of Interest for this
demonstration:
1. The extent to which the demonstration will assist in
understanding the state-of-the-art in Compliant DMU technology in areas
of desired advancement, including safety, reliability, efficiency,
operational flexibility, maintainability, capital costs and/or
operating costs of the corridor operation, as a whole, as well as of
the Compliant DMU equipment itself.
2. The extent to which the demonstration will involve an innovative
Compliant DMU technology available for commercial development, as
opposed to modification of equipment previously in service but
currently not produced.
3. The technological risk associated with successfully
demonstrating Compliant DMU technology on the schedule proposed.
4. The timeliness of the initiation of the demonstration and the
availability of the Compliant DMU technology to be demonstrated.
5. The compliance of the technology with other Federal
requirements, including the Americans with Disabilities Act and
relevant diesel emission standards of the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency.
6. The contribution the demonstration might have to the development
or expansion of the domestic passenger rail car manufacturing industry.
7. The extent to which the demonstration will have ongoing
transportation benefits after the end of the scheduled demonstration.
8. The ability of the Compliant DMU technology to be readily and
economically expanded to respond to increased speed, volume, and
complexity of traffic.
9. The extent of non-Federal contributions to the demonstration.
Issued in Washington, DC, on June 30, 2003.
Mark E. Yachmetz,
Associate Administrator for Railroad Development.
[FR Doc. 03-16867 Filed 7-2-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P