Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 171 / Tuesday, September 4, 2018 / Notices 45005 

commenter provides, to 

www.regulations.gov, as described in 

the system of records notice (DOT/ALL– 

14 FDMS), which can be reviewed at 

www.dotransportation.gov/privacy. See 

also http://www.regulations.gov/ 

#!privacyNotice for the privacy notice of 

regulations.gov. 

Robert C. Lauby, 

Associate Administrator for Safety, Chief 

Safety Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2018–19106 Filed 8–31–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–06–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Railroad Administration 

[Docket Number FRA–2018–0067] 

Petition for Waiver of Compliance 

Under part 211 of Title 49 Code of 

Federal Regulations (CFR), this 

document provides the public notice 

that on August 6, 2018, the Federal 

Railroad Administration (FRA) received 

a petition from the San Mateo County 

Transit District, on behalf of Caltrain, 

for a waiver of compliance from certain 

provisions of the Federal railroad safety 

regulations contained at 49 CFR parts 

229, 231, and 238. Specifically, Caltrain 

seeks a waiver of compliance for their 

new Stadler-built KISS Electric Multiple 

Unit (EMU) railcars specific to the 

passenger area emergency brake valve, 

the clearance above top of rail, and the 

safety appliances. FRA assigned the 

petition Docket Number FRA–2018– 

0067. 

First, Caltrain seeks a waiver of 

compliance from the emergency brake 

valve requirements of 49 CFR 229.47(b) 

and 238.305(c)(5), which require certain 

equipment to be equipped with an 

emergency brake valve accessible to 

another crew member in the passenger 

compartment and have the words 

‘‘Emergency Brake Valve’’ legibly 

stenciled or marked near each valve, or 

be shown on an adjacent badge plate. 

The Caltrain EMU utilizes pull handles 

to provide a means for crew members 

and passengers to initiate an emergency 

brake condition. The vehicle is 

equipped with a modern electropneumatic brake system that does not 

rely on a conventional train-lined brake 

pipe to initiate an emergency brake 

command to the train. Instead, 

emergency brake commands are 

transmitted using electronic signals 

using fail-safe design principles. When 

a pull handle is activated (or ‘‘pulled’’), 

propulsion is cut and irretrievable 

emergency brake is initiated. The 

handle can only be reset using a crew 

key. There is one emergency brake pull 

handle per doorway area, four total per 

car, and each is appropriately stenciled 

with the nomenclature ‘‘Emergency 

Brake.’’ Although the Caltrain EMU 

emergency brake pull handles are not 

technically ‘‘valves’’ as specified in the 

regulatory language, Caltrain contends 

they perform the same function as the 

required Emergency Brake Valve and 

satisfy the requirements of 49 CFR 

229.47(b) and 238.305(c)(5). 

Second, Caltrain seeks a waiver of 

compliance from the clearance abovetop-of-rail (ATOR) requirements of 49 

CFR 229.71. The Caltrain EMU will 

utilize Magnetic Track Brakes that are 

mounted on each non-powered (i.e., 

trailer) truck of each car. The track brake 

has two positions: Stowed and 

deployed. In its normal stowed position, 

the track brake is positioned 3.9 inches 

ATOR. Under maximum permissible 

wear conditions, the track brake 

assembly will remain 2.5 inches ATOR. 

In the deployed position, the track brake 

is in contact with the top of rail thus 

violating the minimum required 

clearance specified in 49 CFR 229.71. 

Caltrain believes the use of the magnetic 

track brake enhances the braking 

capabilities of the vehicle and only 

violates the required clearance when 

activated and in use. 

Third, Caltrain seeks a waiver of 

compliance from the safety appliance 

requirements of 49 CFR 229.71(b), Sill 

steps, (c) Side handholds, (d) End 

handholds, (f) Side-door steps, and (g) 

Uncoupling levers, as well as 49 CFR 

238.229 and 238.230(d). Caltrain 

believes sill steps and side handholds 

are intended to allow railroad 

employees to ride the outside of the 

vehicle during switching moves to 

manually couple/uncouple cars and 

make up manual hose connections. 

Similarly, end handholds and 

uncoupling levers are intended to 

provide a secure hand grip for a railroad 

worker while performing manual 

coupling or uncoupling of conventional 

rail vehicles where it is necessary for 

the mechanical end connections to be 

connected or disconnected manually 

from the ground by a railway employee. 

Not only will Caltrain operating rules 

prohibit personnel to mount the exterior 

of the EMU, but Caltrain will not use the 

EMU to make any equipment moves 

within yards, storage tracks, or other 

areas where personnel would be 

required to utilize any exterior steps or 

handholds. The EMU automatic coupler 

design allows all mechanical, 

pneumatic, and electrical end 

connections to be accomplished without 

manual intervention and without 

requiring personnel to leave the vehicle. 

Lastly, the Caltrain EMU vehicle is 

configured with both high-level and 

low-level side entry doors. When the 

EMU is first placed into service, only 

the low-level doors will be utilized and 

are accessed from Caltrain’s existing 8- 

inch high platforms. Each low-level side 

door is equipped with a retractable step 

to allow passengers to transition from 

the 8-inch platform to the 22-inch 

lower-level floor height. The step is 

located at approximately 16 inches 

ATOR. In addition, extended vertical 

handholds are located inside the 

doorways to facilitate the boarding/ 

alighting process. Therefore, Caltrain 

petitions FRA to accept the EMU 

vehicle without sill steps, side 

handholds, end handholds, or 

uncoupling levers. 

A copy of the petition, as well as any 

written communications concerning the 

petition, is available for review online at 

www.regulations.gov and in person at 

the U.S. Department of Transportation’s 

(DOT) Docket Operations Facility, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue SE, W12–140, 

Washington, DC 20590. The Docket 

Operations Facility is open from 9 a.m. 

to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 

except Federal Holidays. 

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 parties desire 

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, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue SE, W12–140, 

Washington, DC 20590. 

• Hand Delivery: 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue SE, Room W12–140, 

Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. 

and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 

except Federal Holidays. 

Communications received by October 

19, 2018 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 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
45006 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 171 / Tuesday, September 4, 2018 / Notices 

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), 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/ 

privacyNotice for the privacy notice of 

regulations.gov. 

Robert C. Lauby, 

Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety, 

Chief Safety Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2018–19105 Filed 8–31–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–06–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Railroad Administration 

[Docket Number FRA–2016–0028] 

Petition for Waiver of Compliance 

Under part 211 of Title 49 Code of 

Federal Regulations (CFR), this 

document provides the public notice 

that on August 3, 2018, the Regional 

Transportation District (RTD) and the 

City of Denver, Colorado, petitioned the 

Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) 

for a waiver of compliance from certain 

provisions of the Federal railroad safety 

regulations contained at 49 CFR part 

222. FRA assigned the petition Docket 

Number FRA–2016–0028. 

Specifically, petitioners seek a waiver 

from the provisions of 49 CFR 

222.35(b)(1) to establish a new quiet 

zone consisting of twelve public 

highway-rail grade crossings with active 

grade crossing warning devices 

comprising both flashing lights and 

gates that are not equipped with 

constant warning time devices. The 

crossing warning devices on the 

proposed ‘‘Denver East Corridor Quiet 

Zone’’ on the RTD A-Line are primarily 

activated by a wireless crossing 

activation system (WCAS) using ‘‘GPSdetermined train speed and location to 

predict how many seconds a train is 

from the crossing.’’ Petitioners assert 

that this information is communicated 

wirelessly to the crossing warning 

devices and seeks to provide constant 

warning times. Additionally, this 

system is supplemented by a 

conventional track warning system in 

case the WCAS is unavailable. 

A copy of the petition, as well as any 

written communications concerning the 

petition, is available for review online at 

www.regulations.gov and in person at 

the U.S. Department of Transportation’s 

(DOT) Docket Operations Facility, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue SE, W12–140, 

Washington, DC 20590. The Docket 

Operations Facility is open from 9 a.m. 

to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 

except Federal Holidays. 

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 parties desire 

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, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue SE, W12–140, 

Washington, DC 20590. 

• Hand Delivery: 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue SE, Room W12–140, 

Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. 

and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 

except Federal Holidays. 

Communications received by October 

19, 2018 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 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/ 

privacyNotice for the privacy notice of 

regulations.gov. 

Robert C. Lauby, 

Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety, 

Chief Safety Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2018–19104 Filed 8–31–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–06–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Maritime Administration 

[Docket No. MARAD–2018–0138] 

Requested Administrative Waiver of 

the Coastwise Trade Laws: Vessel 

SERENITY; Invitation for Public 

Comments 

AGENCY: Maritime Administration, DOT. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Secretary of 

Transportation, as represented by the 

Maritime Administration (MARAD), is 

authorized to grant waivers of the U.S.- 

build requirements of the coastwise 

trade laws to allow the carriage of no 

more than twelve passengers for hire on 

vessels, which are three years old or 

more. A request for such a waiver has 

been received by MARAD. The vessel, 

and a brief description of the proposed 

service, is listed below. 

DATES: Submit comments on or before 

October 4, 2018. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

identified by DOT Docket Number 

MARAD–2018–0138 by any one of the 

following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov. Search 

MARAD–2018–0138 and follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 

• Mail or Hand Delivery: Docket 

Management Facility is in the West 

Building, Ground Floor of the U.S. 

Department of Transportation. The 

Docket Management Facility location 

address is: U.S. Department of 

Transportation, MARAD–2018–0138, 

1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West 

Building, Room W12–140, Washington, 

DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., 

Monday through Friday, except on 

Federal holidays. 

Note: If you mail or hand-deliver your 

comments, we recommend that you 

include your name and a mailing 

address, an email address, or a 

telephone number in the body of your 

document so that we can contact you if 

we have questions regarding your 

submission. 

Instructions: All submissions received 

must include the agency name and 

specific docket number. All comments 

received will be posted without change 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES