[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 249 (Friday, December 28, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 76597]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-31204]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket Number FRA-2004-17099]


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 November 20, 2012, the Metro-North Railroad (MNR) has petitioned 
the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for a waiver of compliance 
from certain provisions of the Federal railroad safety regulations at 
49 CFR Section 238.309(b)(3) regarding periodic brake maintenance for 
multiple unit (MU) locomotives and the special approval procedure under 
49 CFR Section 238.21(b). This petition is filed to increase the 
duration of the periodic brake equipment maintenance interval for the 
MNR MU M8 Air Brake System (KB-CT1a) and to include by amendment this 
405-unit fleet to the age exploration M7 waiver. FRA assigned the 
petition Docket Number FRA-2004-17099.
    MNR is also requesting to exclude test requirements for all the air 
brake valves in the KB-CT1a (M8) System that are currently part of the 
KB-CT1 (M7) System. MNR requests that these components be considered to 
have the same standard life expectancy as determined by the M7 waiver 
(Docket Number FRA-2004-17099). The MNR M7 fleet is currently 
undergoing age exploration tests. The MNR M7 fleet is averaging 68,000 
miles a year per car. The current MNR fleets that the M8 fleet is 
replacing average 64,000 miles a year per car, which delineates a 
similar wear and life expectancy to that of the M7. MNR proposes to 
test only those components not yet captured by the KB-CT1 (M7) age 
exploration testing in support of this request.
    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 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.
     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 11, 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 20, 2012.
Robert C. Lauby,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Regulatory and Legislative 
Operations.
[FR Doc. 2012-31204 Filed 12-27-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P