[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 44 (Monday, March 7, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Page 12759]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-04763]



[[Page 12759]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket Number FRA-2022-0017]


Petition for Modification of Standards and Alternate Compliance

    Under part 232 of title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), this 
document provides the public notice that on February 8, 2022, the 
HeritageRail Alliance (HRA) (co-sponsored jointly by the Railroad 
Passenger Car Alliance (RPCA)) petitioned the Federal Railroad 
Administration (FRA) for a modification of standards and alternate 
compliance in accordance with 49 CFR 232.307, Modification of brake 
test procedures, pertaining to the Federal railroad safety regulations 
contained at 49 CFR 232.717, Freight and passenger train car brakes. 
FRA assigned the petition Docket Number FRA-2022-0017.
    Specifically, HRA/RPCA requests a modification of standards and 
alternative compliance pursuant to 49 CFR 232.717(d) using HRA 
Recommended Practice RP-001-21, which includes proposed alternate 
compliance methods to fulfill the requirements of Sec.  232.717, 
Freight and passenger train car brakes.\1\ HRA states that many 
tourist/museum operations employ obsolete equipment types that are not 
subject to current Association of American Railroads (AAR) Interchange 
Rules, nor any other currently published maintenance standard, and that 
in recent years the maintenance of railroad mechanical systems has 
moved away from prescribed periodic attention to performance based 
systems, and that the assurance of safety is achieved by employing more 
frequent periodic testing (primarily single car tests) to detect 
degradation of performance. Railroads have also identified 
opportunities to extend service intervals through application of newer 
materials, and as tourist and excursion equipment is often used 
infrequently, extended service periods may be warranted. The 
Recommended Practice includes justification of the reduction of 
cleaning, oiling, testing, and stenciling periods (an activity that in 
itself can degrade the performance and service life of the equipment), 
and provides documentation guides on the operating history to assure 
compliance with the conditions of the extension.
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    \1\ To view the Recommended Practice, see https://www.regulations.gov/document/FRA-2022-0017-0001.
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    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.
    All communications concerning these proceedings should identify the 
appropriate docket number and may be submitted at http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
    Communications received by May 6, 2022 will be considered by FRA 
before final action is taken. Pursuant to Sec.  232.307(d), if no 
comment objecting to the requested modification is received during the 
60-day comment period, or if FRA does not issue a written objection to 
the requested modification, the modification will become effective May 
23, 2022.
    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), the U.S. Department of Transportation (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. 2022-04763 Filed 3-4-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P