Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 217 / Monday, November 10, 1997 / Notices 60555

Brief description of proposed projects:

Overlay and groove runway 18/36;

Expand airport terminal building.

Class or classes of air carriers which

the public agency has requested not be

required to collect PFCs: None.

Any person may inspect the

application in person at the FAA office

listed above under FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT. In addition, any

person may, upon request, inspect the

application, notice and other documents

germane to the application in person at

the office of the Tupelo Airport

Authority.

Issued in Jackson, Mississippi, on October

29, 1997.

Wayne Atkinson,

Manager, Airports District Office, Southern

Region, Jackson, Mississippi.

[FR Doc. 97–29578 Filed 11–7–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–M

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.

Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway

[Waiver Petition Docket Number PB–97–13]

The Burlington Northern Santa Fe

Railway (BNSF) seeks a waiver of

compliance from certain provisions of

the Railroad Power Brake and Drawbars

regulations, 49 CFR Section 232.25(d),

concerning the calibration of the front

unit of a two-way end-of-train device.

Specifically, BNSF would like relief

from the annual calibration

requirements of head-end units to the

manufacturer’s radio alignment

specifications and be permitted to use

what BNSF calls a ‘‘realistic service

test’’ that will prove the ability to place

the rear of the train in emergency from

the head-end-device as designed.

Section 232.25(d) states: The

telemetry equipment shall be calibrated

for accuracy according to the

manufacturer’s specifications at least

every 365 days. The date of the last

calibration, the location where the

calibration was made, and the name of

the person doing the calibration shall be

legibly displayed on a weather-resistant

sticker or other marking device affixed

to the outside of both the front unit and

rear unit. The Two-Way End-of-Train

Device Final Rule was published on

January 2, 1997, and became effective

July 1, 1997. FRA provided a grace

period until September 1, 1997, for

railroads to accomplish the calibration

and labeling requirements of front units.

BNSF indicates that they have their

communications teams perform the

entire calibration and alignment

procedures per manufacturer’s

instructions and specifications when

new devices are received. BNSF

believes this more than ensures a safe

and effective operation and does not see

any benefit of removing the devices

from locomotives, transporting them to

a radio shop for a four hour procedure,

then transporting the devices back to the

locomotives for installation every 365

days. BNSF feels the procedure is overly

long and burdensome and does not

enhance the performance of the device.

BNSF also states that devices are

damaged due to the excessive handling

required to perform the test. Therefore,

they believe the best use of the device

is to permanently mount them on the

locomotive and leave them there for the

safety of the train crew.

Rather than annually test the device

to manufacturer’s radio alignment

specifications, BNSF would like to test

the device every 365 days for

functionality in railroad service using a

test code that includes testing for

sufficient output wattage at the correct

frequency, together with proof of arming

ability and emergency activation.

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 PB–97–13) and

must be submitted in triplicate to the

Docket Clerk, Office of Chief Counsel,

FRA, Nassif Building, 400 Seventh

Street, S.W., Mail Stop 10, Washington,

D.C. 20590. 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 (9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.) at

FRA’s temporary docket room located at

1120 Vermont Avenue, N.W., Room

7051, Washington, D.C. 20005.

Issued in Washington, D.C. on November 5,

1997.

Grady C. Cothen, Jr.,

Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety

Standards and Program Development.

[FR Doc. 97–29614 Filed 11–7–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–06–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

Petitions for Waivers 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

requests for waivers of compliance with

certain requirements of its safety

standards. The individual petitions are

described below, including the parties

seeking relief, the regulatory provisions

involved, the nature of the relief being

requested, and the petitioners’

arguments in favor of relief.

Southeastern Pennsylvania

Transportation Authority

[Waiver Petition Docket Number LI–97–5]

The Southeastern Pennsylvania

Transportation Authority (SEPTA) seeks

a temporary waiver of compliance with

certain provisions of the Locomotive

Safety Standards, 49 CFR part 229.

SEPTA is seeking relief for a period of

one year, until December 31, 1998, from

the requirements of Section 229.125(d)

which requires each lead locomotive

operating at speeds over 20 mph over

one or more public highway-rail

crossings be equipped with operative

auxiliary lights effective December 31,

1997.

SEPTA operates a fleet of 304 electric

MU passenger locomotives, 8 electric

locomotives, and 5 diesel-electric

locomotives. The railroad states they

have experienced numerous problems

with contractors in providing needed

material to equip their MU locomotive

fleet thus resulting in significant delays

in installation of the auxiliary lights.

Union Pacific Railroad Company

[Waiver Petition Docket Number LI–97–6]

The Union Pacific Railroad Company

(UP) seeks a temporary waiver of

compliance with certain provisions of

the Locomotive Safety Standards, 49

CFR part 229. UP is seeking relief for a

period of one year, until December 31,

1998, from the requirements of Section
60556 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 217 / Monday, November 10, 1997 / Notices

229.125(d) which requires each lead

locomotive operating at speeds over 20

mph over one or more public highwayrail crossings be equipped with

operative auxiliary lights effective

December 31, 1997.

UP indicates that they currently have

3060 locomotives equipped with

auxiliary lights which accounts for 49.4

percent of their locomotive fleet. The

railroad states they have experienced

increased business levels, and

locomotives scheduled for retirement

prior to the rule taking effect will now

be continued in service. The railroad

plans to continue to equip locomotives

as they are shopped for reasons other

than periodic maintenance. Whenever

possible, equipped locomotives will be

utilized as lead units.

Meridian & Bigbee Railroad Company

[Waiver Petition Docket Number PB–97–7]

The Meridian & Bigbee Railroad

Company (MBRR) seeks a permanent

waiver of compliance from certain

provisions of the Railroad Power Brake

and Drawbars regulations, 49 CFR

Section 232.23, requiring the use of twoway end-of-train telemetry devices.

MBRR operates one train at a time,

seven days a week, between the hours

of 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., and one train at

a time, four days a week, Monday

through Thursday, between the hours of

6 p.m. and 6 a.m. The day train

originates in Meridian, Mississippi, runs

to Myrtlewood, Alabama, then returns

to Meridian. The night train originates

in Meridian, runs to Naheola, Alabama,

then returns to Meridian. Both trains

operate with a three man crew and

complete the scheduled round-trips

within an average of ten hours. The

maximum track speed is 40 mph and

the ruling grade on the mainline is 0.92

percent. The average tonnage on

eastbound trains is 3,020 tons and

westbound trains 3,454 tons, although

these figures many times go above 4,000

tons. MBRR would continue to use a

one-way end-of-train device on their

trains.

MBRR states that the type of accidents

which would require a two-way device

to apply brakes on the rear portion of

the train has never occurred and

probably would never occur on their

railroad. MBRR does not feel safety

would be compromised if two-way endof-train devices were not required on

their trains, and that to reduce their

track speed to 30 mph would reduce

timely service to their customers and

connecting railroads with no increase in

safety.

White River Scenic Railroad,

Incorporated

[Waiver Petition Docket Number RSGM–97–

5]

The White River Scenic Railroad,

Incorporated (WRR) seeks a permanent

waiver of compliance with the Safety

Glazing Standards, 49 CFR part

223.11(c), which requires certified

glazing in all locomotive windows

except locomotives used in yard service.

WRR is seeking this waiver for

locomotive number WRR 2089, built in

1952 by the American Locomotive

Company for the United States Army

Transportation Corps, which was never

equipped with FRA certified glazing.

The locomotive owner indicates that the

locomotive is utilized in passenger

excursion service between Flippin and

Sylamore, Arkansas, in a rural area

along the White River. The railroad’s

maximum authorized speed is 25 mph.

Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway

[Waiver Petition Docket Numbers SA–97–5

and PB–97–8]

The Burlington Northern Santa Fe

Railway (BNSF) seeks a waiver of

compliance from certain provisions of

the Safety Appliance Standards, 49 CFR

Section 231, for operating the Triple

Crown RoadRailer trains between

Argentine Yard in Kansas City, Kansas,

and the Saginaw Yard in Saginaw,

Texas.

The train consist will be restricted to

125 RoadRailers equipped with a

CouplerMate between the hauling

locomotive and the first car in the

RoadRailer train.

The RoadRailer has no safety

appliances and the waiver would permit

non-compliance with all the provisions

of the Safety Appliance Standards.

These regulatory standards include

provisions for the number, location, and

dimensional specification for the

handholds, ladders, sill steps, and hand

brakes that are required for each railroad

freight car.

Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway

[Waiver Petition Docket Numbers SA–97–6

and PB–97–11]

The Burlington Northern Santa Fe

Railway (BNSF) seeks a waiver of

compliance from certain provisions of

the Safety Appliance Standards, 49 CFR

Section 231, for operating a Thrall built

articulated multi-level car and Wabash

AllRailer and AutoRailer train between

San Diego and Richmond, California.

The train makeup would consist of

the two units, Thrall built, articulated

multi-level car on the head end,

followed by a CouplerMate and three

unit AllRailers, and then another

CouplerMate and eleven AutoRailers.

The RoadRailer has no safety

appliances and the waiver would permit

non-compliance with all the provisions

of the Safety Appliance Standards.

These regulatory standards include

provisions for the number, location, and

dimensional specification for the

handholds, ladders, sill steps, and hand

brakes that are required for each railroad

freight car.

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 LI–97–5) and

must be submitted in triplicate to the

Docket Clerk, Office of Chief Counsel,

FRA, Nassif Building, 400 Seventh

Street, S.W., Mail Stop 10, Washington,

D.C. 20590. 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 (9:00 a.m.—5:00 p.m.) at

FRA’s temporary docket room located at

1120 Vermont Avenue, N.W., Room

7051, Washington, D.C. 20005.

Issued in Washington, D.C. on November 5,

1997.

Grady C. Cothen, Jr.,

Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety

Standards and Program Development.

[FR Doc. 97–29615 Filed 11–7–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–06–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA–97–3056]

Notice of Receipt of Petition for

Decision That Nonconforming 1992

BMW 7 Series Passenger Cars Are

Eligible for Importation

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of receipt of petition for

decision that nonconforming 1992 BMW