[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 105 (Thursday, May 30, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 27126]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-13532]



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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration


Petition for Exemption or Waiver of Compliance

    In accordance with 49 CFR Sections 211.9 and 211.41, notice is 
hereby given that the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has 
received from the Northeast Illinois Railroad Corporation (Metra) a 
request for an extension of the time period necessary to comply with a 
previously granted temporary waiver of compliance with certain 
requirements of the Federal safety laws and regulations. The petition 
is described below, including the regulatory provisions involved, the 
nature of the relief being requested, and the petitioner's arguments in 
favor of the relief.

Northeast Illinois Railroad Corporation (Metra); Waiver Petition Docket 
Number LI-93-13

    The Locomotive Safety Standards (49 CFR Part 229) were revised on 
July 8, 1993, to require each lead locomotive of trains operating over 
30 miles per hour to be equipped with an event recorder by May 5, 1995. 
On September 3, 1993, Metra petitioned FRA for an extension of the May 
5, 1995 time limit in which to apply event recorders under 49 CFR 
229.135. On February 6, 1995, FRA granted authority to extend this time 
limit for compliance to July 1, 1996, as requested, under Docket LI-93-
13, and contingent upon Metra providing FRA with a status report of 
their event recorder installation schedule at quarterly intervals 
thereafter.
    Metra seeks an extension of the time period necessary to comply 
with the previously granted temporary waiver of compliance. Metra's 
projected completion dates were contingent upon the delivery of event 
recording devices, the rebuilding of their electric multiple unit cars 
by an outside company, and the construction of new non-multiple unit 
control cab cars to replace a group of older non-multiple unit control 
cab cars. Metra has been unable to maintain the projected completion 
dates due to a lack of manpower within Metra, internal scheduling 
problems at the car rebuilder, and internal scheduling problems at the 
car builder. Metra requests that the compliance date be extended to 
March 3, 1998.
    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 LI-93-
13) 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 publication 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.) in Room 8201, Nassif Building, 400 Seventh 
Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20590.

    Issued in Washington, D.C. on May 23, 1996.
Phil Olekszyk,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety Compliance and Program 
Implementation.
[FR Doc. 96-13532 Filed 5-29-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-M