[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 210 (Wednesday, October 29, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64395-64396]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-25768]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration


Petition for Special Approval of Alternate Standard

    In accordance with Part 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.

Long Island Railroad and Metro-North Railroad (Special Approval 
Petition Docket Number FRA-2004-17099)

    The Long Island Railroad (LIRR) and Metro-North Railroad (MNCW) 
further identified herein as the railroads, seeks approval to amend a 
previously granted alternate standard to be used in accordance with the 
Passenger Equipment Safety Standards, 49 CFR part 238, section 309, 
periodic maintenance of MU locomotive equipment brakes. Section 
309(b)(2) requires periodic brake equipment maintenance to be performed 
at an interval not to exceed every 1,104 days.

[[Page 64396]]

The railroads were granted an alternate standard July 4, 2004, for M7-
MU locomotives that required that periodic brake equipment maintenance 
be performed at an interval not to exceed every 1,840 days.
    The railroads most recent request dated September 12, 2008, states 
that the M7 MU locomotive tests are near their completion and the 
railroad requests to extend the testing beyond the 1,840 days and 
perform age exploration similar to the testing of electronic brake 
systems on more traditional freight and passenger locomotives. The M7 
air brake system is integrated with the propulsion system, and a full 
pneumatic back up of the emergency brake application function is 
available through the emergency brake valve and conductors valve. The 
M7 utilizes various systems to monitor, diagnose, and report brake 
equipment functions to a centralized diagnostic system on board the 
equipment. At the original submission, the railroads provided required 
technical documentation, a Preliminary Hazard Analysis, Failure Modes 
and Effect Analysis, Maintainability Analysis, and has served a copy of 
the petition on designated representatives of its employees. A list of 
the names and addresses of the persons served is available at the DOT 
docket site contained in this notice.
    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-
2004-17099) and may be submitted by any of the following methods:
     Web site: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online 
instructions for submitting comments.
     Fax: 202-493-2251.
     Mail: Docket Operations Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., W12-140, Washington, DC 
20590.
     Hand Delivery: 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Room W12-140, 
Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays.
    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://www.regulations.gov.
    Anyone is able to search the electronic form of any written 
communications and 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).

    Issued in Washington, DC on October 22, 2008.
Grady C. Cothen, Jr.,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety Standards and Program 
Development.
 [FR Doc. E8-25768 Filed 10-28-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P