[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 37 (Thursday, February 24, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-4076]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: February 24, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration

 

Petition for Waivers of Compliance

    In accordance with 49 CFR 211.9, 211.41 and 211.45, notice is 
hereby given that the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has 
received a request for a waiver of compliance with certain requirements 
of the Federal safety laws and regulations. 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.

Renfe Talgo of America, Incorporated

Docket Numbers RSGM-94-2 and SA-94-1
    Renfe Talgo of America, Incorporated (RTAX) requests waivers of 
compliance with certain provisions of the Railroad Safety Glazing 
Standards (49 CFR part 223) under Docket Number RSGM-94-2 and Railroad 
Safety Appliance Standards (49 CFR part 231), under Docket Number SA-
94-1.
    RTAX seeks these waivers in order to permit operation of the TALGO 
Pendular Train (TALGO) under two conditions. It is intended that the 
train will be operated (1) in non-revenue demonstration runs and (2) in 
revenue service as part of a regularly scheduled service operated by 
National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) in the Pacific 
Northwest High Speed Rail Corridor. The non-revenue demonstration runs 
of the TALGO train will involve a cross-country movement from its 
assembly point in Washington, DC to Seattle, Washington, in March 1994. 
It is anticipated that the train will be on public display in 
Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago, St. Louis, and Seattle. The revenue 
operations in passenger service are to be conducted as part of Amtrak's 
regularly scheduled service between Seattle, Washington, and Portland, 
Oregon, which are scheduled to begin in April 1994.
    The trainset would be comprised of 12 TALGO Pendular cars. The 12 
cars will include 1 head-end power car which will not carry passengers, 
8 passenger coach cars, 1 cafeteria car, 1 dining car, and 1 rear-end 
service car which will not carry passengers. The TALGO equipment has a 
total weight of approximately 400,000 pounds. With the Amtrak 
locomotive, the total length of the train will be approximately 575 
feet.
    RTAX petition seeks a waiver from compliance with the Railroad 
Glazing Standards, (49 CFR 223.15(b)), which requires that all side 
facing glazing on passenger cars must meet the FRA Type II testing 
criteria. RTAX states that the side facing glazing of the TALGO train 
may in fact meet the FRA requirements for FRA Type II, but it has not 
been subjected to the test specified in the regulation. The windows in 
the sides of the cars are double glazed with tempered safety glass. 
Each layer is 6 mm. (.24 inches) thick with an air space in between the 
two layers. RTAX says that there is not sufficient time to retrofit 
windows in the TALGO train prior to shipment from Spain.
    RTAX petition seeks a waiver from compliance of the Railroad Safety 
Appliance Standards, (49 CFR 231.14) and sections 2 and 4 of the Safety 
Appliance Act (45 U.S.C. 2 and 4), which requires that each passenger 
car must be equipped with side handholds, end handholds, and uncoupling 
levers. The passenger cars have side handholds at the doors for the 
assistance of passengers, but there are no side handholds or end 
handholds which the rules contemplate for use in switching operations 
or coupling and uncoupling. RTAX states that the 12 cars in the TALGO 
train constitute a single unit, in that the cars will not be uncoupled 
from one another, except at specified maintenance facilities. The 
individual cars are joined by swivel type traction couplers which will 
not uncouple in normal operations and because of this configuration 
there is no need for uncoupling levers. Standard AAR Type E couplers 
will be installed at the ends of the front and rear service cars.
    Interested parties are invited to participate in this proceeding by 
submitting written views, data, or comments. FRA does not anticipate 
scheduling a public hearing in connection with this proceeding 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 SA-94-1) 
and must be submitted in triplicate to the Docket Clerk, Office of 
Chief Counsel, Federal Railroad Administration, Nassif Building, 400 
Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20590. Communications received 
before March 17, 1994 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 a.m.-5 
p.m.) in room 8201, Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street SW., 
Washington, DC 20590.

    Issued in Washington, DC on February 15, 1994.
Grady C. Cothen, Jr.,
Associate Administrator for Safety.
[FR Doc. 94-4076 Filed 2-23-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P