[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 125 (Wednesday, June 28, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39980-39981]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-16354]


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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.

[[Page 39981]]

Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway Company (Waiver Petition 
Docket Number FRA-2000-7297)

    The Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway Company (DMIR) seeks a 
two-year extension of a previously granted waiver of compliance 
(formerly handled under Docket Number F-90-3B) from the provisions of 
the Railroad Freight Car Safety Standards, 49 CFR Section 
215.115(b)(1)(ii), regarding inspection of roller bearings involved in 
a derailment. This waiver applies to DMIR cars which may be derailed at 
taconite pellet load out pockets at Minntac, Minorca, EVTAC, and 
Fairlane. These cars have been prone to derailments during the 
unloading process and are directed back onto the rails by being pulled 
over permanently mounted automatic rerailers.
    DMIR states that no mainline derailments due to bearing related 
failures have occurred during the period of the current waiver. 
Bearings that have been involved in derailments have been visually 
inspected for external damage and allowed to return to unrestricted 
service when none was found.
    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 2000-
7297) and must be submitted to the Docket Clerk, DOT Docket Management 
Facility, Room PL-401 (Plaza Level), 400 7th Street, SW., Washington, 
DC 20590. Communications received within 45 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 (9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.) at the 
above facility. 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.

    Issued in Washington, DC on June 22, 2000.
Grady C. Cothen, Jr.,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety Standards and Program 
Development.
[FR Doc. 00-16354 Filed 6-27-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P