[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 246 (Friday, December 21, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75697-75698]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-30876]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket Number FRA-2012-0089]


Petition for Waiver of Compliance

    In accordance with Part 211 of Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations 
(CFR), this document provides the public notice that by a document 
dated September 12, 2012, Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority

[[Page 75698]]

(CMTA) 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 213.57--Curves; elevation and 
speed limitations. FRA has assigned the petition Docket Number FRA-
2012-0089.
    CMTA seeks a waiver of compliance from provisions regarding ``cant 
deficiency'' contained at 49 CFR 213.57. Cant deficiency is a technical 
term describing the imbalance of inner and outer wheel loads when a 
rail vehicle traverses a curve. With the right combination of speed, 
curvature, and superelevation (the amount the outer rail is elevated 
above the inner rail), the loads on both inner and outer wheels will be 
equal, i.e., balanced. The curving speed corresponding to this balanced 
state is referred to as ``balance speed.'' At speeds higher than the 
balance speed, the centrifugal force will cause the outer wheel load to 
increase and the inner wheel load to decrease. The manifestation of 
this load imbalance is that a lateral throw will be sustained by the 
passengers when the vehicle is traversing the curve. To counter the 
imbalance, the superelevation on the curve would have to be increased. 
The necessary amount of the increase in the superelevation is the 
amount of cant deficiency.
    CMTA intends to operate its Stadler Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) 
fleet on curves at speeds which will generate a cant deficiency up to, 
but not more than, 5 inches; but no more than the maximum authorized 
speed.
    In support of it petition, CMTA has conducted a ``static lean 
test,'' a test to demonstrate that the Stadler DMU fleet can safely be 
operated at the requested 5 inches of cant deficiency.
    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 Ave. 
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.
     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 February 4, 2013 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 December 17, 2012.
Robert C. Lauby,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Regulatory and Legislative 
Operations.
[FR Doc. 2012-30876 Filed 12-20-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P