[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 66 (Thursday, April 5, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20691-20692]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-8175]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket Number FRA-2011-0050]


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) has received a request for a waiver of compliance from 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. FRA has assigned the 
petition Docket Number FRA-2011-0050.
    The Alaska Railroad Corporation (ARRC) has applied for extension of 
the clean, repair, and test intervals for air brake valves and related 
components, as required by the Railroad Locomotive Safety Standards 
found at Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Section 229.27, 
Annual tests, and Section 229.29, Biennial tests. This relief has been 
requested for Locomotives ARRC 4001-4016, which are equipped with New 
York Air Brake (NYAB) CCB-I brake systems; Locomotives ARRC 4317-4328, 
which are equipped with NYAB CCB-II brake systems; and Diesel Multiple 
Unit ARRC 751, which is equipped with a NYAB CCB-II brake system. These 
units are also equipped with air dryers. Applications were originally 
submitted by ARRC for inclusion under the relief granted to the 
Association of American Railroads (AAR) by Waiver Docket Number FRA-
2005-21613. However, the decision letter for that waiver specifically 
limits the relief to AAR member railroads. ARRC is not an AAR member; 
therefore, separate processing of these requests is necessary.
    In support of this petition, ARRC submitted letters from NYAB 
attesting to the essential similarity of the air brake systems on these 
units to air brake systems on locomotives tested and inspected at 
extended intervals and granted relief under FRA-2005-21613 on CSX 
Transportation and the Canadian Pacific Railway. In addition, ARRC 
reported that they have experienced very few failures on units equipped 
with CCB brake systems, and that inspection of air brake components 
removed from Locomotives 4001-4016, at 5 years of age, ``revealed 
exceptional cleanliness and no issues were noted which would prevent 
the continued serviceability of the parts or materials * * *. ''

[[Page 20692]]

    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-
2011-0050) and may be submitted by any of the following methods:
    <bullet> Web site: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online 
instructions for submitting comments.
    <bullet> Fax: 202-493-2251.
    <bullet> Mail: Docket Operations Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., W12-140, Washington, DC 
20590.
    <bullet> 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 May 21, 2012 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 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://www.regulations.gov.
    Anyone is able to 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 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 
19477-78), or online at http://www.dot.gov/privacy.html.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on March 30, 2012.
Ron Hynes,
Acting Deputy Associate Administrator for Regulatory and Legislative 
Operations.
[FR Doc. 2012-8175 Filed 4-4-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P