[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 76 (Thursday, April 22, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21434-21435]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-08384]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket Number FRA-2021-0031]


Petition for Waiver of Compliance

    Under part 211 of title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), this 
document provides the public notice that on March 9, 2021, Union 
Pacific Railroad Company (UPRR) petitioned the Federal Railroad 
Administration (FRA) for a waiver of compliance from certain provisions 
of the Federal railroad safety regulations contained at 49 CFR parts 
215, Railroad Freight Car Safety Standards, and 232, Brake System 
Safety Standards for Freight and Other Non-Passenger Trains and 
Equipment; End-Of-Train Devices. FRA assigned the petition Docket 
Number FRA-2021-0031.
    Specifically, UPRR requests relief from 49 CFR 215.13, Pre-
departure inspection, which requires an inspection when combining two 
separate consists including one or more cars and one or more 
locomotives that have been properly inspected and tested in compliance 
with all applicable regulations, meaning that both consists have had a 
Class I brake test (Sec.  232.205), Class IA brake test (Sec.  
232.207), or have been designated as extended haul trains and are 
compliant with all requirements of Sec.  232.213. UPRR states that the 
requested relief will allow combining two existing and operating trains 
without additional inspections, besides a Class III brake test. It 
further states that the relief will allow subsequent separation of two 
trains without additional inspections, besides a Class III brake test, 
provided that a record of the original consist remains intact.
    A copy of the petition, as well as any written communications 
concerning the petition, is available for review online at 
www.regulations.gov.
    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 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 (DOT), 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE, W12-140, Washington, DC 
20590.
    Communications received by June 7, 2021 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

[[Page 21435]]

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/privacy-notice for the 
privacy notice of regulations.gov.

    Issued in Washington, DC.
John Karl Alexy,
Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety, Chief Safety Officer.
[FR Doc. 2021-08384 Filed 4-21-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P