[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 195 (Thursday, October 8, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 54104-54105]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-27114]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

49 CFR Parts 229, 231, and 232

[FRA Docket No. PB-9; Notice No. 14]
RIN 2130--AB16


Brake System Safety Standards for Freight and Other Non-Passenger 
Trains and Equipment

AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of Public Hearings and Technical Conference.

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SUMMARY: By notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) published on September 
9, 1998 (63 FR 48294), FRA proposed revisions to the regulations 
governing the power braking systems and equipment used in freight and 
other non-passenger railroad train operations. In that proposed rule, 
FRA announced that it would schedule two public hearings and one 
technical conference to allow interested parties the opportunity to 
comment on issues addressed in the NPRM. This document announces the 
public hearings and technical conference.

DATES: (1) Public Hearings: Two public hearings will be held on the 
dates and at the locations listed below to provide interested parties 
the opportunity to comment on the proposed revisions contained in the 
NPRM. The dates of the public hearings are as follows:
    Monday, October 26, 1998 at 9:00 a.m. in Kansas City, Missouri.
    Friday, November 13, 1998 at 9:30 a.m. in Washington D.C.
    (2) Technical Conference: A technical conference will be held on 
Monday, November 23 and Tuesday, November 24, 1998 at 9:00 a.m. near 
San Francisco, California. The technical conference is intended to 
provide interested parties the opportunity to comment on the proposed 
revisions contained in the NPRM and to provide interested parties the 
ability to specifically discuss various technical issues identified 
below.

ADDRESSES: (1) Public Hearings: Hearings to provide interested parties 
the opportunity to comment on the proposed revisions contained in the 
NPRM will be held at these locations:
    Kansas City, Missouri: Federal Building, 601 East 12th Street, Room 
111, Kansas City, Missouri 64105.
    Washington, D.C.: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Auditorium, 
Third Floor, Federal Office Building 10A, 800 Independence Avenue, 
S.W., Washington, D.C. 20591.
    (2) Technical Conference: A technical conference will be conducted 
in the San Francisco area at: Embassy Suites Walnut Creek, 1345 Treat 
Boulevard, Walnut Creek, California 94596. See Supplementary 
Information for details.
    (3) Docket Clerk: Written notification should identify the docket 
number and must be submitted in triplicate to the Docket Clerk, Office 
of Chief Counsel, Federal Railroad Administration, RCC-10, 400 Seventh 
Street, Stop 10, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20590.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Leon Smith, Deputy Regional 
Administrator--Region 3, FRA Office of Safety, RRS-14, 400 Seventh 
Street, S.W., Stop 25, Washington, D.C. 20950 (telephone 404-562-3800), 
or Thomas Herrmann, Trial Attorney, Office of the Chief Counsel, RCC-
10, 400 Seventh Street, S.W., Stop 10, Washington, D.C. 20950 
(telephone 202-493-6053).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Technical Conference

    The technical conference will address specific technical issues 
that might not be addressed in the oral comments presented at the 
public hearings. These include:
     Issues related to dynamic brakes, particularly the 
concerns raised in recent recommendations issued by the National 
Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and other issues related to safely 
negotiating heavy grades with loaded, high capacity cars in the 
consist. See 63 FR 48313-15, NTSB Recommendations R-98-1 through 98-7 
(February 25, 1998).
     Issues related to two-way end-of-train devices, such as: 
bench testing; doubling hills; and heavy grade operations. See 63 FR 
48322-23.
     Issues related to the securement of standing equipment. 
See 63 FR 48331-32.
     Issues related to the performance of brake tests utilizing 
yard air sources. See 63 FR 48344.
     Issues related to the use and operation of Helper Link 
devices. See 63 FR 48345.
    FRA invites all interested parties to participate in the technical 
conference. FRA believes that technical discussion from all interested 
parties will contribute to an effective final regulation. For this 
conference to be successful, participants should be prepared to 
discuss, at a minimum, the issues identified above and provide 
reasonable alternatives. FRA also encourages participants to bring 
supporting documentation where appropriate.

[[Page 54105]]

Public Participation Procedures

    Any person wishing to participate in either the public hearings or 
the technical conference should notify the Docket Clerk by mail at the 
address provided in the ADDRESSES section at least five working days 
prior to the date of the hearing or conference and submit three copies 
of the oral statement that he or she intends to make at the hearing. 
The notification should identify the party the person represents, and 
the particular subject(s) the person plans to address. The notification 
should also provide the Docket Clerk with the participant's mailing 
address. FRA reserves the right to limit participation in the hearings 
of persons who fail to provide such notification.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on October 5, 1998.
George A. Gavalla,
Acting Associate Administrator for Safety.
[FR Doc. 98-27114 Filed 10-7-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P