[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 8 (Wednesday, January 13, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 1672]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-00525]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket Number FRA-2008-0134]


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 December 7, 2015, the Southern California Regional Rail Authority 
(SCRRA) has petitioned the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for a 
modification to the conditions of the waiver granting relief from 
certain provisions of 49 CFR part 236, Rules, Standards, and 
Instructions Governing the Installation, Inspection, Maintenance, and 
Repair of Signal and Train Control Systems, Devices, and Appliances, in 
Docket Number FRA-2008-0134.
    FRA granted relief to SCRRA in a January 9, 2009, decision letter 
which delineated certain conditions for the waiver. This request is for 
the modification of the condition requiring that all passenger trains 
be equipped to respond to the intermittent inert Automatic Train Stop 
(ATS) in accordance with 49 CFR 236.566, Locomotive of each train 
operating in train stop, train control or cab signal territory; 
equipped.
    SCRRA plans to lease a maximum of 40 freight locomotives from BNSF 
Railway (BNSF) which are not equipped with ATS for a period not to 
exceed 1 year. SCRRA operates in a push-pull mode and plans to use the 
GE AC4400CW leased locomotives as buffers in front of the cab cars. 
SCRRA is taking this step due to a fleet-wide safety issue identified 
with the cab cars after a collision and derailment. During the next 
year, each cab car will be evaluated and modified as necessary before 
being placed in the lead position of any consist. SCRRA currently 
operates all revenue trains with the Interoperable Electronic Train 
Management System (I-ETMS) on all subdivisions owned and dispatched by 
SCRRA. The locomotives leased to SCRRA from BNSF are equipped with 
fully functional I-ETMS which was tested and found to be compatible 
with the SCRRA I-ETMS, as well as SCRRA rail equipment.
    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 February 12, 2016 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.). 
In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits comments from the 
public to better inform its processes. DOT posts these comments, 
without edit, including any personal information the commenter 
provides, to www.regulations.gov, as described in the system of records 
notice (DOT/ALL-14 FDMS), which can be reviewed at www.dot.gov/privacy. 
See also http://www.regulations.gov/#!privacyNotice for the privacy 
notice of regulations.gov.

Robert C. Lauby,
Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety, Chief Safety Officer.
[FR Doc. 2016-00525 Filed 1-12-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P