[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 18 (Friday, January 27, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4395-4396]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-1863]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket Number FRA-2011-0101]


Petition for Waiver of Compliance

    In accordance with part 211 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal 
Regulations (CFR), this document provides the public notice that by a 
document dated December 2, 2011, Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter 
Railroad Corporation (Metra) has petitioned the Federal Railroad 
Administration (FRA) for a waiver of compliance from certain provisions 
of the Federal railroad safety regulations contained at 49 CFR part 
236. FRA assigned the petition Docket Number FRA-2011-0101.
    Metra seeks relief from the 2-year periodic testing requirements of 
the Rules, Standards and Instructions, 49 CFR 236.377, Approach 
Locking; 236.378, Time Locking; 236.379, Route Locking; 236.380, 
Indication Locking; and 236.381, Traffic Locking; on vital 
microprocessor-based systems. Metra proposes to verify and test signal 
locking systems controlled by micro-processor-based equipment, by use 
of alternative procedures, every 4 years after initial baseline testing 
or program change as follows:
     Verifying the cyclic redundancy check/checksum/universal 
control number of the existing location's specific application logic to 
the previously tested version.
     Testing the appropriate interconnection to the associated 
signaling hardware equipment outside the processor (switch indication, 
track indication, searchlight signal indication, approach locking--if 
external) to verify the correct and intended inputs to and outputs from 
the processor are maintained.
     Analyze and compare the results of the 4 year alternative 
testing with the results of the baseline testing performed at the 
location then submit the results to FRA.
    Metra submitted a list with its petition of each signal location at 
which Metra intends to implement these alternative procedures.
    A copy of the petition, as well as any written communications 
concerning the petition, is available for review online at 
www.regulations.gov and in person at the U.S. Department of 
Transportation's (DOT) Docket Operations Facility, 1200 New Jersey 
Avenue SE., W12-140, Washington, DC 20590. The Docket Operations 
Facility is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
Federal Holidays.
    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 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.

[[Page 4396]]

     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 by March 12, 2012 will be considered by FRA 
before final action is taken. Comments received after that date will be 
considered as far as practicable.
    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), or online at http://www.dot.gov/privacy.html.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on January 24, 2012.
Ron Hynes,
Acting Deputy Associate Administrator for Regulatory and Legislative 
Operations.
[FR Doc. 2012-1863 Filed 1-26-12; 8:45 am]
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