[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 39 (Friday, February 27, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 10065]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-5078]


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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.

CSX Transportation, Incorporated (Waiver Petition Docket Number PB-97-
10)

    CSX Transportation, Incorporated (CSXT) seeks a temporary waiver of 
compliance from certain provisions of the Railroad Power Brake and 
Drawbars regulations, 49 CFR Section 232.25(d), concerning the 
calibration of the front unit of a two-way end-of-train device. CSXT 
had originally requested relief from the calibration and labeling 
requirements for all front units until December 31, 1997, PB-97-10, 62 
FR 49291 (September 19, 1997). In a letter dated December 12, 1997, 
CSXT requested the date for this temporary relief be extended to May 1, 
1998.
    Section 232.25(d) states, The telemetry equipment shall be 
calibrated for accuracy according to the manufacturer's specifications 
at least every 365 days. The date of the last calibration, the location 
where the calibration was made, and the name of the person doing the 
calibration shall be legibly displayed on a weather-resistant sticker 
or other marking device affixed to the outside of both the front unit 
and rear unit. The Two-Way End-of-Train Device Final Rule was published 
on January 2, 1997, and became effective July 1, 1997. FRA provided a 
grace period until September 1, 1997, for railroads to accomplish the 
calibration and labeling requirements of front units.
    CSXT indicates they have calibrated and labeled approximately 700 
of its nearly 2,700 total HTDs. This work was performed on all new 
units purchased and on all units that were removed from a locomotive 
and sent to the communications shop for any reason. Completion of the 
calibration requirements for units that did not enter the radio shop 
was dependent on development and availability of an on-board tester 
being developed by Pulse Electronics. This on-board tester was a 
cooperative effort by Pulse and Hewlett-Packard, which took longer to 
complete than was originally anticipated. CSXT was originally promised 
the tester in October, but a prototype was not delivered until November 
24. The final product was available on December 8, 1997. In view of the 
unavoidable delay which was necessary to properly develop this device, 
CSXT states it will be unable to comply with the calibration and 
labeling requirements by December 31, 1997. CSXT believes they will be 
able to calibrate all locomotives by May 1, 1998, as the locomotives 
receive their periodic inspections. CSXT also points out that they feel 
they have provided a service to the entire industry by facilitating the 
development of an on-board device which can be used to meet the 
requirements of 232.25(d)
    For all of the reasons set forth in the original waiver petition, 
CSXT feels there is absolutely no reason to believe that any adverse 
effect on safety would result from granting this short extension of 
their original temporary waiver request.
    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 PB-97-
10) 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 30 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 February 24, 1998.
Grady C. Cothen, Jr.,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety Standards and Program 
Development.
[FR Doc. 98-5078 Filed 2-26-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P