[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 214 (Friday, November 5, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 64625]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-24771]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration


Petition for Waiver of Compliance

    In accordance with Part 211 of Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations 
(CFR), notice is hereby given that the Federal Railroad Administration 
(FRA) received a request for a waiver of compliance with certain 
requirements of its safety standards. The individual petition is 
described below, including the party seeking relief, the regulatory 
provisions involved, the nature of the relief being requested, and the 
petitioner's arguments in favor of relief.

Association of American Railroads

[Docket Number FRA-2004-19402]

    The Association of American Railroads (AAR) and the Railway Supply 
Institute (RSI), on behalf of their member companies, seeks a permanent 
waiver of compliance from the requirements of Title 49 Code of Federal 
Regulations (CFR) Sec.  232.205(b)(5) Class I Brake Test--Initial 
terminal inspection regarding minimum piston travel. This waiver is 
necessary to allow a minimum piston travel of six (6) inches, rather 
than the current requirement of seven (7) inches for cars equipped with 
eight and one half (8.5) inch or ten (10) inch diameter brake 
cylinders. Technical data supporting this request was submitted to FRA 
for review. By granting this wavier, it would provide consistency with 
the braking systems practice used in Canada which permits a minimum 
piston travel of six (6) inches, per Section 22.1 of Train Brake Rules, 
Rule 22, Transport Canada.
    By granting this waiver, no special markings or decals would be 
necessary, as all cars not covered by this waiver are required to have 
the permissible range of piston travel stencilled or marked on the car 
or badge plate. Therefore, six (6) to nine (9) inches would be the 
default range for piston travel absent a decal or marking to the 
contrary.
    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 (e.g., Waiver Petition Docket Number FRA-
2004-19402) and must be submitted in triplicate to the Docket Clerk, 
DOT Central Docket Management Facility, Room Pl-401, Washington, DC 
20590-0001. Communications received within 30 days of the date of this 
notice will be considered by FRA before final action is taken. Comments 
received after that date will be considered as far as practicable. All 
written communications concerning these proceedings are available for 
examination during regular business hours (9 a.m.-5 p.m.) at DOT 
Central Docket Management Facility, Room Pl-401 (Plaza Level), 400 
Seventh Street SW., Washington. All documents in the public docket are 
also available for inspection and copying on the Internet at the docket 
facility's Web site at http://dms.dot.gov.
    Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all comments 
received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual 
submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf 
of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review DOT's 
complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on 
April 11, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 70; Pages 19377-78). The statement 
may also be found at http://dms.dot.gov.

    Issued in Washington, DC on November 1, 2004.
Grady C. Cothen, Jr.,
Acting Associate Administrator for Safety.
[FR Doc. 04-24771 Filed 11-4-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P