Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 87 / Friday, May 5, 1995 / Notices 22429

Petition for Exemption or Waiver of

Compliance

In accordance with Title 49 CFR

Sections 211.9 and 211.41, notice is

hereby given that the Federal Railroad

Administration (FRA) has received

requests for exemptions from or waivers

of compliance with a requirement of its

safety standards. The individual

petitions are described below, including

the party seeking relief, the regulatory

provisions involved, and the nature of

the relief being requested.

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 RSGM–94–21)

and must be submitted in triplicate to

the Docket Clerk, Office of Chief

Counsel, FRA, Nassif Building, 400

Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC

20590. Communications received within

45 days of the date of publication 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.) in Room

8201, Nassif Building, 400 Seventh

Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590.

The individual petitions seeking an

exemption or waiver of compliance are

as follows:

West Jersey Railroad Company (WJ)

(Waiver Petition Docket Number

RSGM–94–21)

The WJ seeks a permanent waiver of

compliance with certain provisions of

the Safety Glazing Standards (Title 49

CFR Part 223) for one locomotive. The

locomotive WJ 56, an ALCO model T–

6 Switcher, will be operated on 17.44

miles of track between Salem and

Swedesboro, New Jersey. The area is

very rural and not subject to vandalism.

The WJ has operated two locomotives

under Waiver Docket Number RSGM–

88–28 since 1991.

Cornhusker Railcar Services

Incorporated (CRCX)

(Waiver Petition Docket Number

RSGM–94–22)

The CRCX operates railcar repair

shops at Grand Island and Hastings,

Nebraska. Company owned locomotives

are employed at each facility for

switching, however only the EMD SW–

8 locomotive at Hastings operates on

track outside their plant. Approximately

10 percent of the time this locomotive

operates on trackage jointly owned by

Burlington Northern Railroad Company

and Union Pacific Railroad Company.

The locomotive is presently undergoing

repairs at Grand Island.

NEBKOTA Railway, Incorporated (NRI)

(Waiver Petition Docket Number

RSGM–94–24)

The NRI seeks a permanent waiver of

compliance with certain provisions of

the Safety Glazing Standards (Title 49

CFR Part 223) for two locomotives and

one caboose. The NRI operates on 73.2

miles of track between Merriman,

Nebraska, and near Chadron, Nebraska.

The largest city on this line has a

population of 1,800. NRI also has

trackage rights on 28.3 miles of Chicago

and North Western Transportation

Company track between near Chadron

and Crawford, Nebraska. The largest city

on this segment has a population of

5,500. The NRI states there have been no

incidents of vandalism on either line in

the past five years. The area is

predominantly devoted to farming and

ranching.

Semo Port Railroad, Incorporated (SE)

(Waiver Petition Docket Number

RSGM–94–25)

The Southeast Missouri Regional Port

Authority on behalf of SE seeks a

permanent waiver of compliance with

certain provisions of the Safety Glazing

Standards (Title 49 CFR Part 223) for

one locomotive. The locomotive is an

EMD GP–7–L road switcher built in

1953 for the United States Army and

used solely by them since then. The SE

is located at Scott City, Missouri, and

operates on FRA excepted track at a

maximum speed of 10 mph.

Yakima Valley Rail and Steam Museum

(YVRX)

(Waiver Petition Docket Number

RSGM–94–27)

The YVRX seeks a permanent waiver

of compliance with certain provisions of

the Safety Glazing Standards (Title 49

CFR Part 223) for one locomotive.

Locomotive number 12, a GE 65-ton

center cab switcher built in 1942, had

previously been in service at the Puget

Sound Naval Ship Yards in Bremerton,

Washington. The locomotive will be

operated on the Simcoe Branch of the

Toppenish Simcoe and Western

Railroad, a 21 mile rural short line. The

line is under the auspices of the YVRX

whose intent is to help preserve

railroading history in the State of

Washington and provide both passenger

and freight services.

Pittsburgh and Conneaut Dock

Company (PCDX)

(Waiver Petition Docket Number

RSGM–95–1)

The PCDX seeks a permanent waiver

of compliance with certain provisions of

the Safety Glazing Standards (Title 49

CFR Part 223) for four locomotives. The

locomotives, EMD model F–7’s built in

1952, are used in yard switching service

at the P&C Dock facilities at Conneaut,

Ohio. Three of the locomotives are

normally not manned since they are

operated by remote control. Normal

maintenance is performed in the

Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad

Company (BLE) repair facilities at

Conneaut. When heavy repairs are

needed, the locomotives are hauled

dead-in-tow to the BLE shop at

Greenville, Pennsylvania. The petition

requests that this movement be allowed

to continue.

Econo Rail Corporation (TXTX)

(Waiver Petition Docket Number

RSGM–95–2)

The TXTX seeks a permanent waiver

of compliance with certain provisions of

the Safety Glazing Standards (Title 49

CFR Part 223) for three locomotives. The

TXTX operates 3 miles of track inside

the Port of Beaumont at Beaumont,

Texas. All work is performed within a

fenced and guarded area. Maximum

operating speed is 15 mph. The railroad

states that there has been no vandalism

since operations began in 1978.

ISS Rail, Incorporated (ISSR)

(Waiver Petition Docket Number RSGM

95–3)

The ISSR seeks a permanent waiver of

compliance with certain provisions of

the Safety Glazing Standards (Title 49

CFR Part 223) for one locomotive. The

locomotive, ISSR 3003, an ALCO 1000

HP switcher built in 1946 operates on

approximately 10 track miles in New

Castle, Pennsylvania. ISSR interchanges

with Conrail and CSX Transportation on

jointly accessed track. The locomotive is

presently equipped with shatterproof

safety glass.
22430 Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 87 / Friday, May 5, 1995 / Notices

Southern Railroad Company of New

Jersey (SRNJ)

(Waiver Petition Docket Number

RSGM–95–4)

The SRNJ seeks a permanent waiver

of compliance with certain provisions of

the Safety Glazing Standards (Title 49

CFR Part 223) for three locomotives. The

SRNJ operates exclusively in southern

New Jersey which is primarily rural in

nature. Much of the trackage is within

the ‘‘Pinelands’’ which is protected from

residential and industrial development.

SRNJ states that there is approximately

one grade crossing per mile of track.

Northern Indiana Commuter

Transportation District (NICD)

(Waiver Petition Docket Number LI–94–

12)

The NICD seeks a temporary waiver of

compliance with certain provisions of

the Locomotive Safety Standards (Title

49 CFR Part 229) for their locomotives.

NICD is seeking relief from the

requirements of Section 229.135 that all

trains operating over 30 mph shall be

equipped with an event recorder by May

5, 1995. NICD requests an extension of

one year.

The Locomotive Safety Standards

were revised on July 8, 1993, to require

each lead locomotive of trains operating

over 30 mph to be equipped with an

event recorder by May 5, 1995. NICD

operates 48 electric MU cars and 10

nonpowered trailer cars from Michiana

Regional Airport at South Bend,

Indiana, to Randolph Street Station in

Chicago, Illinois. Approximately 1/6 of

this route (15 miles) is operated over

trackage owned by Northeast Illinois

Railroad Corporation (METRA). All

NICD equipment was built by Sumitomo

Corporation of America and operates at

a maximum speed of 79 mph. Standard

locomotive event recorders are not

applicable to the NICD cars and

attempts to interest manufacturers to

produce an acceptable recorder have

been delayed until recently. Due to the

competitive bid process, vendor’s ability

to deliver and installation of the

systems, NICD will be unable to comply

with the May 5, 1995 date and has

requested an extension until May 5,

1996.

Long Island Rail Road (LI)

(Waiver Petition Docket Number LI–95–

1)

The LI seeks a temporary waiver of

compliance with certain provisions of

the Locomotive Safety Standards (Title

49 CFR Part 229) for their locomotives

and electric MU cars. LI is seeking relief

from the requirements of Section

229.135 that all trains operating over 30

mph shall be equipped with an event

recorder by May 5, 1995. LI requests the

compliance date be extended to

November 5, 1995, for their 71 dieselelectric locomotives and to December 5,

1996, for their 466 electric MU cars.

The Locomotive Safety Standards

were revised on July 8, 1993, to require

each lead locomotive of trains operating

over 30 mph to be equipped with an

event recorder by May 5, 1995. LI cites

four factors which have an adverse

impact on compliance with the May 5,

1995, date for the electric MU cars;

nonavailability of off-the-shelf event

recorders, impact on car availability,

limited physical plant/manpower

resources and energy conservation/cost

savings. To optimize these factors and

complete the installation, LI estimates

will require the program be extended to

December 5, 1996. While off-the-shelf

event recorders are available for the

diesel-electric locomotives, a

compatibility problem arose on the

initial installation and a new speed

sensing system must also be installed. LI

projects this application to be

completed by November 5, 1995.

Frederick W. Seibold (Central Plateau)

(CEPX)

(Waiver Petition Docket Number

RSRM–95–1)

Frederick W. Seibold, owner of

private rail car ‘‘Central Plateau’’ seeks

a permanent waiver of compliance with

certain provisions of the Rear End

Marking Device Standards (Title 49 CFR

Part 221) for a new design rear end

marking device. Mr. Seibold has

requested approval of an ‘‘antique’’

marking device consisting of the

industry standard light bulb mounted in

a vintage Handlan Number 79 Rear End

Marker shell. This will enhance the

restoration of the private car ‘‘Central

Plateau’’ while meeting the rear end

marking device requirements for

passenger cars.

‘‘Guidelines For Testing FRA Rear

End Marking Devices’’ specifies the test

procedures for approval of new marking

devices. Tests are conducted and

approval is granted for the complete

device (light source and housing). There

is no separate test of the light source.

The guidelines require that five samples

of the marking device be tested. Mr.

Seibold’s proposal includes 60PAR/2/R

sealed beam lamp. This same lamp has

been approved as part of all marking

devices used by Amtrak and others. To

forego the specific testing requirements

of Part 221, which are written for

commercially produced devices, Mr.

Seibold requests an FRA identification

number be assigned to his marking

device which includes a lamp already

approved in other devices.

Issued in Washington, DC on April 25,

1995.

Phil Olekszyk,

Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety

Compliance and Program Implementation.

[FR Doc. 95–11067 Filed 5–4–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–06–P

Notice of Application for Approval of

Discontinuance or Modification of a

Railroad Signal System or Relief From

the Requirements of 49 CFR Part 236

Pursuant to Title 49 CFR Part 235 and

49 U.S.C. App. 26, the following

railroads have petitioned the Federal

Railroad Administration (FRA) seeking

approval for the discontinuance or

modification of the signal system or

relief from the requirements of Title 49

CFR Part 236 as detailed below.

Block Signal Application (BS–AP)–No.

3352

Applicant: Canadian American Railroad

Company, Mr. Alfred E. Michon,

President, Northern Maine Junction

Park, RR2 Box 45, Bangor, Maine

04401–9602

The Canadian American Railroad

Company seeks approval of the

proposed discontinuance and removal

of the automatic block signal system, of

the single main track and sidings,

between ‘‘Boundary’’, milepost 101.7

and Brownsville Junction, milepost 0.0,

on the Moosehead Subdivision; and

between milepost 104.84 and milepost

105.15, on the Mattawamkeag

Subdivision, in the State of Maine, a

distance of approximately 102 miles.

The reason given for the proposed

changes is the abandonment of

passenger service and changes in freight

train service has altered operations, and

the maintenance and repair of the signal

system is very expensive.

BS–AP–No. 3353

Applicant: Eastern Maine Railway

Company, Mr. E. Scott Smith, 11

Gifford Road, P.O. Box 5666, Saint

John, New Brunswick, Canada, E21

5B6

The Eastern Maine Railway Company

seeks approval of the proposed

discontinuance and removal of the

automatic block signal system, of the

single main track and sidings, between

Vanceboro, milepost 5.6 and

Brownsville Junction, milepost 104.84,

Maine, on the Mattawamkeag

Subdivision, a distance of

approximately 99.2 miles.