[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 13 (Thursday, January 21, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 3273]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-1377]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

49 CFR Parts 229, 231, and 232

[FRA Docket No. PB-9; Notice No. 15]
RIN 2130-AB16


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

AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), DOT.

ACTION: Extension of comment period.

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

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 notice, FRA 
established a deadline for the submission of written comments of 
January 15, 1999. Due to the need to ensure that all interested parties 
have a sufficient amount of time to fully develop their comments and 
because several requests for additional time to submit written comments 
have been received by FRA, this document announces an extension of the 
deadline for the submission of written comments.

DATES: Written comments must be received by March 1, 1999. Comments 
received after that date will be considered to the extent possible 
without incurring additional expenses or delay.

ADDRESSES: Address written comments to the Docket Clerk, Office of 
Chief Counsel, RCC-10, Federal Railroad Administration, 400 Seventh 
Street, S.W., Stop 10, Washington, D.C. 20590. Comments should identify 
the docket and notice number, and five copies should be submitted. 
Persons wishing to receive confirmation of receipt of their comments 
should include a self-addressed, stamped postcard. The Docket Clerk 
will indicate on the postcard the date on which the comments were 
received and will return the card to the addressee. The dockets are 
housed in the Seventh Floor of 1120 Vermont Avenue, N.W., Washington 
D.C. Public dockets may be reviewed between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 
5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays.

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: FRA held two public hearings and one 
technical conference in October and November of 1998 in regard to this 
NPRM. During the hearings and technical conference, a vast amount of 
oral information was presented, and a considerable number of issues 
were raised and discussed in detail. Subsequent to these meetings, 
interested parties began the preparation of written comments, which 
were to be submitted to FRA no later than January 15, 1999. Recently, a 
few interested parties notified FRA of the need for additional time in 
which to prepare their written comments. Due to the complexity and 
importance of this rulemaking, especially to the railroads and rail 
labor, FRA does not wish to inhibit the ability of any party to fully 
develop its comments and seeks to provide sufficient time for all 
interested parties to gather necessary information. Therefore, as FRA 
is inclined to extend the period for the submission of written comments 
for certain interested parties, FRA is compelled to provide the same 
extension to all commenters. Consequently, FRA believes it is in the 
best interest of all parties involved to extend the period for the 
submission of written comments in this proceeding to March 1, 1999. It 
should be noted that FRA does not expect anyone to seek any further 
extension of the comment period in this proceeding and will consider 
comments submitted after March 1, 1999, only to the extent possible 
without causing additional expense or delay.
George A. Gavalla,
Acting Associate Administrator for Safety.
[FR Doc. 99-1377 Filed 1-20-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P