[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 98 (Monday, May 23, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 29551]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-10283]



[[Page 29551]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration


Petition for Special Approval of Alternate Standard

    In accordance with Sec.  238.21 of Title 49 Code of Federal 
Regulations (CFR), notice is hereby given that the Federal Railroad 
Administration (FRA) received a request for approval of an Alternate 
Standard 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.

American Public Transportation Association

[Special Approval Petition Docket Number FRA-2005-20853]

    American Public Transportation Association (APTA) seeks approval 
for use of an alternate standard required to be used in accordance with 
the Passenger Equipment Safety Standards, 49 CFR Part 238. Section 311, 
single car test of passenger equipment brakes. Section 311(a) requires 
single car air brake test on all passenger cars and all unpowered 
vehicles used in passenger trains shall be performed in accordance with 
either APTA Standard SS-M-005-98, ``Code of Tests for Passenger Car 
Equipment Using Single Car Testing Device,'' published March, 1998; or 
an alternative procedure approved by FRA pursuant to Sec.  238.21. APTA 
requests that the requirement refer to a revised standard dated April 
12, 2003, the revisions require a railroad to perform the single car 
test procedure at the same working pressure as the car being tested 
utilizes in revenue service. The March 1998 standards requires that the 
test be performed at 90 psi while some trains operate their brake 
systems at 110 psi.
    Interested parties are invited to participate in these proceedings 
by submitting written views, data, or comments. Each comment shall set 
forth specifically the basis upon which it is made, and contain a 
concise statement of the interest of the commenter in the proceeding. 
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 (FRA-2005-20853) and must be submitted to the 
Docket Clerk, DOT Docket Management Facility, Room PL-401 (Plaza 
Level), 400 7th Street, SW., Washington, DC 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 a.m.-5 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.
    Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all comments 
received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual 
submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf 
of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review DOT's 
complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on 
April 11, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 70; Pages 19477-78). The Statement 
may also be found at http://dms.dot.gov.

    Issued in Washington, DC on May 17, 2005.
Grady C. Cothen, Jr.,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety Standards and Program 
Development.
[FR Doc. 05-10283 Filed 5-20-05; 8:45 am]
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