[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 186 (Tuesday, September 26, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 56216]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-15751]


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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.

Quantum Engineering, Inc.

(Waiver Petition Docket Number FRA-2006-25794)

    Quantum Engineering, Inc. (Quantum) seeks a waiver of compliance 
with certain requirements of Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 
part 232, subpart E--End-of-Train Devices, published January 17, 2001. 
Specifically, 49 CFR 232.403(g)(2) states: ``If power is supplied by 
one or more batteries, the operating life shall be a minimum of 36 
hours at 0 [deg]C.'' Quantum requests a waiver to allow a minimum of 12 
hours of battery reserve for the two batteries they propose using in 
their Model Q39 end-of-train devices.
    According to Quantum, the Q39 end-of-train device will be powered 
by an air turbine-powered alternator (which has been in service for 
several years). Both the batteries and the alternator are continuously 
connected to provide electrical power to components of the device. The 
batteries are charged by the air-driven alternator during normal train 
operations and provide backup power when the alternator is not 
functioning (e.g., during switching operations when train line air 
pressure is cut out). Quantum provided test data indicating that the 
end-of-train device will operate for approximately 16 hours with two 
new self-contained lead acid batteries at 0 [deg]C after loss of train 
line air.
    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 (FRA-2006-25794) 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 September 20, 2006.
Grady C. Cothen, Jr.,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety Standards and Program 
Development.
[FR Doc. E6-15751 Filed 9-25-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P