[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 176 (Thursday, September 11, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54346-54347]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-21612]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket Number FRA-2014-0085]


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, June 10, 2014, the Association of American Railroads, on behalf 
of CSX Transportation, Inc., the National Railroad Passenger 
Corporation, Norfolk Southern Railway Company, and Union Pacific 
Railroad Company, (collectively, ``petitioners'') petitioned the 
Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for a waiver of compliance from 
certain provisions of the Federal railroad safety regulations contained 
at 49 CFR 236.586, Daily or after trip test, and Sec.  236.588, 
Periodic test. Section 236.586(a) provides that, except where tests 
prescribed by Sec.  236.588 are performed at intervals of not more than 
2 months, each locomotive equipped with an automatic cab signal or 
train stop or train control device operating in equipped territory 
shall be inspected for damage to the equipment and tested at least once 
each calendar day or within 24 hours before departure upon each trip. 
Section 236.588 provides that, except as provided in Sec.  236.586, 
periodic test of the automatic train stop, train control, or cab signal 
apparatus shall be made at least once every 92 days, and on multiple-
unit cars as specified by the carrier, subject to approval by FRA. The 
petitioners request to be permitted to increase the time between 
inspections to 184 days for a 5-year period. FRA assigned the petition 
Docket Number FRA-2014-0085.
    The petitioners note that today's automatic train stop, train 
control, and cab signal apparatus use microprocessor-based technology. 
This technology provides enhanced safety because the microprocessor-
based system has diagnostics that monitor the functioning of cab signal 
equipment and records faults, particularly with respect to features 
relevant to the periodic inspection. Major faults are instantly 
addressed; minor faults are addressed through later data analysis. In 
some cases, railroads have the capability of analyzing the data 
remotely, without the need for the locomotive to be shopped; and if the 
system detects a failure, the system goes into fail-safe mode and 
triggers a penalty air brake application.
    Performing signal inspections pursuant to 49 CFR 236.588 in 
conjunction with and under the same schedule as the locomotive 
inspections under 49 CFR 229.23(b) would increase efficiency without 
compromising safety.
    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.
    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 54347]]

     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 October 27, 2014 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 September 4, 2014.
Ron Hynes,
Director, Office of Technical Oversight.
[FR Doc. 2014-21612 Filed 9-10-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P