[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 194 (Thursday, October 5, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 59499]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-25629]


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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.

Thrall Car Manufacturing Company

[Docket Number FRA-1999-6358]

    Thrall Car Manufacturing Company (TCMC) seeks a permanent waiver of 
compliance with certain provisions of the Railroad Safety Appliance 
Standards, 49 CFR Part 231.24, as they apply to auto carrying railcars 
as follows:
    1. Use the reduced wording described in Parts 231.24(j)(1) and 
231.24(j)(2) rather than 231.27(j)(1) and (j)(2). Part 231.24.(j)(1) 
states ``That section of each car more than fifteen (15) feet above the 
top of the rail shall be painted with contrasting reflectorized paint 
and shall bear the words ``No running boards'' to the left of center 
and ``Excess height car'' to the right of center.'' Section 
231.24(j)(2) states ``On each side sill near end corner there shall be 
painted a yellow rectangular area with a three-fourths (\3/4\) inch 
black border containing the words ``This car excess height-no running 
board'' Lettering to be not less than one and one-half (1\1/2\) inches 
high.''
    Thrall Car Manufacturing Company (TCMC) has petitioned to eliminate 
the stencilling regarding running boards on these cars account of the 
cars not being so equipped.
    2. They request that the word material be substituted for paint in 
this section to permit utilizing new technological advancements in 
reflectorization.
    3. Section 231. 24(j)(2) requires that ``On each side sill near end 
corner there shall be painted a yellow rectangular area with a three-
fourths (\3/4\) inch black border containing the words ``This car 
excess height* * * TCMC has petitioned to relocate this stencil/decal 
from the side-sill, if room is not available, to the shear panel of the 
auto rack.'' The stencil/decal will be located as low as possible on 
three of the corners and directly above the handbrake on the ``BL'' 
corner.
    4. TCMC requests that ``contrasting color'' borders be allowed on 
cars with a dark exterior paint where a black border, required in 
231.24(j)(2) and 231.27(j)(2), would not be readily visible.
    5. TCMC requests that the maximum allowable misalignment between 
the front inside edge of the auto rack ladder style to the inside edge 
of the flat car sill step be increased from the dimensions listed in 
Motive Power and Equipment Technical Bulletin 98-05 to six (6) inches. 
This relief would be consistent with guidelines set forth in AAR's 
Manual of Standards and Recommended Practices, S-2038-85, 2.3.4.
    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-
1999-6358) and must be submitted to the Docket Clerk, DOT Central 
Docket Management Facility, Room PL-401, Washington, DC 20590-0001. 
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 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://dms.dot.gov.

    Issued in Washington, DC on October 1, 2000.
Grady C. Cothen, Jr.,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety Standards and Program 
Development.
[FR Doc. 00-25629 Filed 10-4-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P