[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 240 (Wednesday, December 15, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 70114]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-32443]


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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.

Northeast Illinois Railroad Corporation (Metra) (Waiver Petition 
Docket Number FRA-1999-6361)

    Metra is seeking a permanent waiver of compliance with the 
Passenger Equipment Safety Standards, 49 CFR Part 238.307(d)(5), which 
requires that each coupler be inspected not less frequently than every 
184 days. Metra states that they currently inspect these couplers on an 
annual basis using contour maintenance gage No. 31000, aligning wing 
gage No. 32600 and free slack gage No. 34100-1. Metra contends that 
this inspection process is more restrictive than that required by 49 
CFR Part 238. They further state that the failure rate of couplers for 
any defect is less than one percent per year. Therefore, they request 
the inspection interval be extended to 365 days.
    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 1999-
6361) and must be submitted to the Docket Clerk, DOT Docket Management 
Facility, Room PL-401 (Plaza Level), 400 7th Street, S.W., Washington, 
D.C. 20590. Communications received within 45 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 the 
above facility. All documents in the public docket are also available 
for inspection and copying on the Internet at the docket facility's web 
site at     http://dms.dot.gov.

    Issued in Washington, D.C. on December 9, 1999.
Grady C. Cothen, Jr.,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety Standards and Program 
Development.
[FR Doc. 99-32443 Filed 12-14-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P