[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 110 (Tuesday, June 9, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31581-31582]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-15185]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration


Petition for a 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 a request for a waiver of compliance with certain requirements 
of Federal railroad safety regulations. The 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.
    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 No. RSEQ-98-1) 
and

[[Page 31582]]

must be submitted in triplicate to the Docket Clerk, Office of Chief 
Counsel, Federal Railroad Administration, Nassif Building, 400 Seventh 
Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20590. Communications within 30 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 a.m.-5 p.m.) in FRA's Docket Room, Room 7051 at 1120 Vermont 
Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20590. The waiver petition is as 
follows.

Railroad Museum of New England/Naugatuck Railroad (NAUG) FRA Waiver 
Petition Docket No. RSEQ-98-1

    The NAUG seeks a waiver of compliance with Part 240 of Title 49, 
Code of Federal Regulations, ``Qualifications for Locomotive 
Engineers'' (49 CFR Part 240). NAUG's petition states that in keeping 
with the Museum's educational mission, NAUG's Engineer for an hour 
program is designed to give participants the experience of operating a 
locomotive (under controlled conditions) and to learn how a diesel-
electric locomotive works. Motive power would be drawn from the 
Museum's pool of three road switcher units, a 1950 Alco RS-3, a 1965 GE 
U25B and a 1957 EMD GP-9.
    The operating zone would be between MP 12 and MP 16.3 on the 
Northern end of the Naugatuck Railroad. This section of the railroad 
contains no at grade crossings, no turnouts and no bridges. The regular 
Naugatuck excursion trains operate between MP 1 and MP 11, thus 
allowing a one mile separation between operating zones. The base of 
operations would be located at the East Litchfield station.
    Participants will reserve a session in advance and must be 21 years 
or older. Additionally, the participant must provide a copy of a recent 
physical exam or a doctor's letter, sign a release of liability, wear 
appropriate footwear, clothing and eye protection and must, in the 
judgement of the Museum's representatives, be able to operate the 
locomotive safely.
    Each participant will attend a one hour classroom session covering 
railroad safety and instruction on the basic theory of diesel electric 
locomotives and air brakes. Printed instructional material will be sent 
to each participant in advance. At all times, each participant will be 
under the supervision of Naugatuck Railroad's Supervisor of Locomotive 
Engineers.
    The proposed dates for this program are various weekends and 
holidays between July 1 and November 30, 1998 and 1999.

    Issued in Washington D.C. on June 2, 1998.
Grady C. Cothen, Jr.,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety Standards and Program 
Development.
[FR Doc. 98-15185 Filed 6-8-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P