[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