[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 10 (Wednesday, January 15, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2213-2214]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-957]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
[FRA Docket No. LI-96-2]


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.

Canadian National Railroad

[Waiver Petition Docket Number LI-96-2]

    The Canadian National Railroad (CN) seeks a permanent waiver of 
compliance with certain provisions of the Locomotive Safety Standards, 
49 CFR 229.27 (a)(2) and 229.29 (a), concerning the time interval 
provisions of the periodic cleaning, repairing, and testing of 
locomotive air brake components for all of their locomotives operating 
in the United States equipped with 26L type brake equipment. FRA 
currently permits railroads to operate locomotives equipped with 26L 
type brakes for periods not to exceed 1,104 days, before performing the 
testing and inspection required by 49 CFR 229.27 (a)(2) and 229.29 (a).
    Transport Canada has now authorized CN to operate its locomotives 
equipped with 26L braking equipment on 48-month cleaning intervals. The 
only exceptions are two valves in the system (P2A and H5) which will 
remain on a 36-month interval until future

[[Page 2214]]

evaluations establish that desired improvements with the valves have 
been achieved. According to CN, during the extensive testing period, 
which began in 1987 and involved approximately 1,200 locomotives, the 
reliability of the braking systems was never an issue, therefore, train 
operating safety is not at risk. With the high number of locomotives 
operating in international service, CN states that managing two 
different braking system maintenance intervals would be both 
problematic and costly. Further, to revert to a 36 month cleaning 
interval after almost ten years of successful testing at 48 month 
intervals, would not provide any additional safety benefits. CN would 
like the 48-month maintenance interval to be accepted for all of their 
locomotives that operate in the United States.
    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-96-2) 
and must be submitted in triplicate to the Docket Clerk, Office of 
Chief Counsel, FRA, Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, S.W., 
Washington, D.C. 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 FRA's temporary docket room located at 1120 Vermont 
Avenue, N.W., Room 7051, Washington, D.C. 20005.

    Issued in Washington, D.C. on January 8, 1997.
Phil Olekszyk,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety Compliance and Program 
Implementation.
[FR Doc. 97-957 Filed 1-14-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P