[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 207 (Friday, October 25, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 57550]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-23301]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket Number FRA-2019-0034]


Petition for Waiver of Compliance

    Under part 211 of title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), this 
document provides the public notice that on April 11, 2019, Iowa 
Interstate Railroad, Ltd. (IAIS) 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 
230, Steam Locomotive Inspection and Maintenance Standards. FRA 
assigned the petition Docket Number FRA-2019-0034.
    Specifically, IAIS seeks relief from performing the fifth annual 
inspection as it pertains to the inspection of flexible staybolt caps 
every 5 years as required by 49 CFR 230.41(a), and it requests to 
extend the inspection interval to the tenth annual inspection. IAIS 
states it will perform all other inspections as required by 49 CFR 
230.16, Annual inspection. IAIS's justification for requesting this 
relief is that the current level of safety would be maintained due to 
the low number of service days accrued in these two engines (IAIS 6988 
and 7018) since the last flexible staybolt cap inspections. There will 
be a significant cost savings as the IAIS shop forces would not be 
required to remove the cab, piping, jacketing, and insulation to gain 
access to the caps to perform the staybolt cap inspections. IAIS 
estimates that it would take three months and five full-time employees 
to perform each inspection at a significant cost.
    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 parties 
desire an opportunity for oral comment and a public hearing, 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:
     Website: 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 November 25, 2019 will be considered by 
FRA before final action is taken. Comments received after that date 
will be considered if practicable. Anyone can 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.). Under 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 https://www.transportation.gov/privacy. See also https://www.regulations.gov/privacyNotice for the privacy notice of regulations.gov.

    Issued in Washington, DC.
John Karl Alexy,
Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety, Chief Safety Officer.
[FR Doc. 2019-23301 Filed 10-24-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-06-P