[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 52 (Thursday, March 16, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 14336]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-6446]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2000-7054]


Petition for Grandfathering of Non-Compliant Equipment, Maryland 
Mass Transit Administration

    In accordance with 49 CFR 238.203(f), notice is hereby given that 
the Maryland Mass Transit Administration (MTA) has petitioned the 
Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for grandfathering of non-
compliant equipment for use on MTA's Central Light Rail Line.
    Section 238.203 of title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations 
addresses static end strength requirements for passenger rail 
equipment. Paragraph (a)(1) provides that all passenger equipment 
(subject to limited exceptions) shall resist a minimum static end load 
of 800,000 pounds applied on the line of draft without permanent 
deformation of the body structure. Paragraph (d)(2) provides that 
``[a]ny passenger equipment placed in service on a rail line or lines 
before November 8, 1999 that does not comply with the requirements of 
paragraph (a)(1) may continue to be operated on that particular line or 
(those particular lines) if the operator of the equipment files a 
petition seeking grandfathering approval under paragraph (d)(3) before 
November 8, 1999. Such usage may continue while the petition is being 
processed, but in no event later than May 8, 2000, unless the petition 
is approved.''
    MTA requests that all conventional light rail vehicles operating on 
the Central Light Rail Line (extending from Baltimore, Maryland, north 
to Timonium, south to Cromwell, southwest to BWI Airport, east to Penn 
Station and north to Hunt Valley) be grandfathered to permit usage 
pursuant to 49 CFR 238.203(d).
    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, 
however, 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 this proceeding should be identified 
with Docket Number FRA-2000-7054 and must be submitted to the Docket 
Clerk, DOT Central Docket Management Facility, Room PL-401, 400 Seventh 
Street, SW, Washington, DC 20590-0001. Communications received within 
30 days of publication of this notice will be considered by FRA before 
final action is taken. Comments received after that date will be 
considered to the extent possible. MTA's petition and all written 
communications concerning this proceeding are available for examination 
during regular business hours (9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) at DOT Central 
Docket Management Facility, Room PL-401 (Plaza Level), 400 Seventh, SW, 
Washington, DC 20590-0001. 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, DC on March 10, 2000.
Grady C. Cothen, Jr.,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety Standards and Program 
Development.
[FR Doc. 00-6446 Filed 3-15-00; 8:45 am]
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