[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 120 (Friday, June 21, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 37657]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-14891]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket Number FRA-2013-0061]


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 May 29, 2013, the Commuter Rail Division of the Regional 
Transportation Authority (Metra) and its operating company, the 
Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad Corporation, have 
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, Rules, Standards, and 
Instructions Governing the Installation, Inspection, Maintenance, and 
Repair of Signal and Train Control Systems, Devices, and Appliances. 
FRA assigned the petition Docket Number FRA-2013-0061.
    Metra seeks a waiver from the requirements of 49 CFR 236.566, 
Locomotive of each train operating in train stop, train control or cab 
signal territory; equipped. Specifically, Metra seeks FRA's approval to 
operate nonequipped Metra switch engines over Metra's Rock Island 
District (RID) in cab signal territory. The RID automatic cab signal 
territory begins at Joliet, IL, Milepost (MP) 40.2, and ends at Blue 
Island, IL, MP 14.5.
    Metra seeks this waiver for two reasons: (1) Because its switch 
engines are not equipped with cab signals and (2) because of the 
occasional use of mainline trackage, there is no economic justification 
for the installation of such cab signals. Metra's justification for the 
request is that the movement without cab signals can be made safely 
when the following proposed procedure is followed:
    1. The train dispatcher or control operator is advised that the 
equipment is non-cab signal-equipped switch engines prior to entering 
main track.
    2. The maximum authorized speed is 30 mph for non-cab signal-
equipped switch engines.
    3. An absolute block must be established in advance of the 
movement.
    4. The equipment does not operate during the hours of peak commuter 
train service.
    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.
     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 August 5, 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 document, 
if submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.). 
See http://www.regulations.gov/#!privacyNotice for the privacy notice 
of regulations.gov or interested parties may review DOT's complete 
Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on April 11, 
2000 (65 FR 19477).

    Issued in Washington, DC, on June 17, 2013.
Robert C. Lauby,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Regulatory and Legislative 
Operations.
[FR Doc. 2013-14891 Filed 6-20-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P