[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 105 (Monday, June 2, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 29775]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-14241]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
Petition for Waiver of Compliance
In accordance with Part 211 of Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations
(CFR), notice is hereby given that the Federal Railroad Administration
(FRA) received a request for a waiver of compliance with certain
requirements of its safety standards. The individual petition is
described below, including the party seeking relief, the regulatory
provisions involved, the nature of the relief being requested, and the
petitioner's arguments in favor of relief.
Metro-North Railroad
[Waiver Petition Docket Number H-91-4]
Metro-North Railroad (Metro-North) seeks a permanent waiver of
compliance from certain provisions of the Railroad Locomotive Safety
Standards, 49 CFR Section 229.29, concerning the required time
intervals for cleaning, repairing, and testing of MU locomotive brake
equipment. Specifically, Metro-North requests an extension of the time
interval requirements from 736 days to 1104 days. In 1991, Metro-North
was granted a temporary test waiver to determine whether extending the
time interval requirements for clean, oil, test, and stencil (COT&S)
from 736 days to 1104 days on MU locomotives could be accomplished
without compromising brake system reliability and safety. The test
fleet consisted of 92 M-series electric railcars. During the test
period, the cars were given special operational air brake testing, and
all valves were removed and disassembled for inspection. Metro-North
submitted a comprehensive report detailing the results of the
inspections and tests which were performed in accordance with the
Metro-North Railroad Demonstration Test Plan dated March 15, 1991.
Metro-North concludes that the successful test results demonstrate that
extending COT&S to 3 years on MU locomotives can be accomplished
without compromising brake and train/railcar safety.
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 these proceedings should identify the
appropriate docket number (e.g., Waiver Petition Docket Number H-91-4)
and must be submitted in triplicate to the Docket Clerk, Office of
Chief Counsel, FRA, Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, S.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20590. Communications received within 45 days of the
date 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 FRA's temporary docket room located at 1120 Vermont
Avenue, N.W., Room 7051, Washington, D.C. 20005.
Issued in Washington, D.C. on May 20, 1997.
Grady C. Cothen, Jr.,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety Standards and Program
Development.
[FR Doc. 97-14241 Filed 5-30-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P
