[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 63 (Tuesday, April 2, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15665-15666]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-7820]


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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 from certain 
requirements of its safety regulations. 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.

National Railroad Passenger Corporation

[Docket Number FRA-2001-10596]

    The National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) seeks a 
permanent waiver of compliance from certain provisions of the Railroad 
Power Brake and Drawbars regulations, 49 CFR 229, regarding the 
required periodic tests of locomotive brake equipment. Specifically, 
Amtrak requests that the electronic brake equipment used on the new 
HHP8 electric locomotives be

[[Page 15666]]

subjected to the same provisions as outlined in a waiver (H-95-3) 
granted to New York Air Brake Company (NYAB) for their CCB brake 
equipment, which extended the time requirements for cleaning, repairing 
and testing of brake components listed in Sec. 229.27(a)(2) and 
Sec. 229.29(a), to a period not to exceed five years or 1,840 days.
    Amtrak claims that the HHP8 electronic brake equipment is similar 
in arrangement and function to the NYAB CCB system. It also 
incorporates a number of the same components used in the CCB system. 
Amtrak believes that the five-year interval is justified on the basis 
of the duty cycle and FMECA performed for the Acela brake system, of 
which this system is a direct variant set up for double end control and 
includes the locomotive independent brake and quick release functions. 
This five-year maintenance interval is also currently outlined in the 
maintenance plan for the Acela Train Sets under 49 CFR Part 238, Tier 
II requirements. Further, the HHP8 locomotive is equipped with an air 
quality (dryers and filters) system that meets current industry 
standards. Amtrak would like to maintain the HHP8 locomotive brake 
equipment with the same conditions and time intervals as specified in 
waiver H-95-3, which has been re-numbered and re-issued as waiver 
number FRA-2000-7367.
    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 FRA-
2001-10596) and must be submitted to the Docket Clerk, DOT Central 
Docket Management Facility, Room PL-401, Washington, D.C. 20590-0001. 
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, DC. on March 26, 2002.
Grady C. Cothen, Jr.,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety Standards and Program 
Development.
[FR Doc. 02-7820 Filed 4-1-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P