[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 135 (Wednesday, July 15, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38225-38226]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-18820]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration


Petition for Waiver of Compliance/RST-97-3

    In accordance with Part 211 of Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations 
(CFR), notice is hereby given that the Federal Railroad Administration 
(FRA) received from the National Railroad Passenger Corporation 
(Amtrak) a request for waiver of compliance with certain requirements 
of 49 CFR Part 213: TRACK SAFETY STANDARDS.
    The purpose of Amtrak's petition is to secure approval from FRA to 
operate equipment known as express cars at up to four inches of cant 
deficiency in passenger trains that are now permitted to operate at 
four inches of cant deficiency.
    Amtrak is presently taking delivery of its first order of express 
cars. Amtrak states that this equipment will be used on trains 
primarily for time-sensitive and perishable express items. Amtrak also 
states that the growth of its express business is a critical component 
to its plan to recover all of its operating costs by 2002.
    For several years, Amtrak has operated passenger trains with a 
variety of equipment at four inches of cant deficiency (underbalance) 
on tracks either owned by Amtrak or by other railroads such as the 
former Union Pacific, Burlington Northern, and the Southern Pacific 
railroads.
    Currently, 49 CFR 213.57(b) permits a maximum of three inches to be 
used as

[[Page 38226]]

the underbalance term (cant deficiency) in the formulation of curve/
speed tables by track maintenance engineers defining train speeds for 
curved track superelevations for any route between two points. The 
waivers granted Amtrak and the other railroads to permit the 
substitution of four inches in the Vmax formula in Sec. 213.57.
    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 RST-97-
3) and must be submitted in triplicate to the Docket Clerk, Office of 
Chief Counsel, FRA, Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, S.W., Mail 
Stop 10, 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 July 6, 1998.
Grady C. Cothen, Jr.,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety Standards and Program 
Development.
[FR Doc. 98-18820 Filed 7-14-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P