43654 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 179 / Monday, September 18, 2017 / Notices 

the goals and objectives of 49 U.S.C. 

31136(e) and 31315. 

V. Preemption 

During the period the exemption is in 

effect, no State shall enforce any law or 

regulation that conflicts with this 

exemption with respect to a person 

operating under the exemption. 

VI. Conclusion 

Based upon its evaluation of the three 

exemption applications, FMCSA renews 

the exemptions of the aforementioned 

drivers from the Epilepsy and Seizure 

Disorders requirement in 49 CFR 391.41 

(b)(8). In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 

31136(e) and 31315, each exemption 

will be valid for two years unless 

revoked earlier by FMCSA. 

Issued on: September 8, 2017. 

Larry W. Minor, 

Associate Administrator for Policy. 

[FR Doc. 2017–19762 Filed 9–15–17; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–EX–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Railroad Administration 

[Docket Number FRA–2017–0087] 

Petition for Waiver of Compliance 

Under part 211 of Title 49 Code of 

Federal Regulations (CFR), this provides 

the public notice that on August 10, 

2017, the Fort Worth Transportation 

Authority (FWTA) on behalf of TexRail 

Commuter Railroad (TEXR) petitioned 

the Federal Railroad Administration 

(FRA) for a waiver of compliance from 

certain provisions of the Federal 

railroad safety regulations for the 

purchase of eight new trainsets from 

Stadler Bussnang AG (Stadler). 

Specifically, TEXR is requesting relief 

from 49 CFR part 229, Railroad 

Locomotive Safety Standards (§ 229.47); 

49 CFR part 231, Railroad Safety 

Appliance Standards (§§ 231.14(a)(2), 

(b)–(d), (f), (g)); and 49 CFR part 238, 

Passenger Equipment Safety Standards 

(§ 238.305). FRA assigned the petition 

docket number FRA–2017–0087. 

The TexRail commuter rail system 

consists of a single rail line, running 

from Fort Worth, Texas, to the DallasFort Worth International Airport (DFW), 

a distance of 27-miles, with 9 stations. 

Service is scheduled to begin in 

December 2018. 

TexRail will purchase eight new 

FLIRT Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) 

trainsets manufactured by Stadler in 

Salt Lake City, Utah. The delivery of 

vehicles is expected to begin in October 

2017 and end in May 2018. TexRail 

asserts that the FLIRT trainset is a 

service-proven design built to European 

design standards. It was first delivered 

to European customers in 2004. There 

are approximately 1,100 FLIRT trainsets 

in operation worldwide. TexRail 

vehicles will be the first FLIRT models 

in the United States. The new vehicles 

are designed and built to current 

European design and regulatory 

standards, which differ in several areas 

from current U.S. design standards and 

regulations. TexRail believes that the 

design characteristics of the Stadler 

FLIRT vehicles provide an equivalent or 

higher level of safety and security to the 

passengers and crew. 

TexRail has organized its regulatory 

compliance efforts into two distinct but 

related parts: Part 1 represents the 

‘‘base’’ compliance assessment effort 

(this petition) and Part 2 represents a 

separate petition to utilize Alternative 

Vehicle Technology crashworthiness 

technology as outlined in ‘‘Technical 

Criteria and Procedures for Evaluating 

the Crashworthiness and Occupant 

Protection Performance of AlternativelyDesigned Passenger Rail Equipment for 

Use in Tier I Service’’ and the recent 

notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) 

on Passenger Equipment Safety 

Standards; Standards for Alternative 

Compliance and High-Speed Trainsets 

(81 FR 88006, December 6, 2016). 

Noting that certain provisions in 49 CFR 

part 231 pertaining to safety appliances 

are statutorily required, and therefore 

not subject to FRA’s waiver authority, 

TEXR also requested that FRA exercise 

its authority under 49 U.S.C. 20306 to 

exempt TEXR from certain provisions of 

Chapter 203, Title 49 of the United 

States Code because the FLIRT DMU 

vehicles will be equipped with their 

own array of safety devices resulting in 

equivalent safety. 

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 new 

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: 

• Web site: 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 

November 2, 2017 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.). 

In accordance with 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. 2017–19687 Filed 9–15–17; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–06–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Railroad Administration 

[Docket Number FRA–2013–0095] 

Notice of Application for Approval To 

Discontinue or Modify a Railroad 

Signal System 

Under part 235 of Title 49 of the Code 

of Federal Regulations (CFR) and 49 

U.S.C. 20502(a), this provides the public 

notice that on July 27, 2017, the 

Grenada Railroad, LLC (GRYR) 

petitioned the Federal Railroad 

Administration (FRA) seeking extension 


sradovich on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 179 / Monday, September 18, 2017 / Notices 43655 

of the approval to discontinue or modify 

a signal system. FRA assigned the 

petition docket number FRA–2013– 

0095. 

Applicant: Grenada Railroad, LLC, 

David Michaud, General Counsel, 118 

South Clinton Street, Suite 400, 

Chicago, IL 60661. 

The GRYR seeks an extension of 

FRA’s approval to discontinue and 

remove of the automatic block signal 

(ABS) system between Southaven, 

Mississippi, milepost (MP) 403.0 and 

Grenada, Mississippi, MP 617.4. 

The automatic block signal (ABS) 

system between Southaven, milepost 

(MP) 403.0 and Grenada, MS, MP 617.4 

is out of service, but remains in place 

under conditions of FRA’s February 2, 

2016, decision letter. 

The reasons given for the proposed 

changes were that the GRYR only 

operates one train a day at any given 

time, under Track Warrant Control 

(TWC), making the ABS redundant as 

well as expensive to maintain, with 

replacement parts becoming hard to 

acquire. 

Grenada Railroad, LLC, was sold to 

the North Central Mississippi Regional 

Railroad Authority (NCMRRA). Iowa 

Pacific Railroad (IPRR) has been 

designated as the operating railroad for 

this property by the NCMRRA. 

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 Department of Transportation’s 

Docket Operations Facility, 1200 New 

Jersey Ave. 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, 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: 

• Web site: 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 

November 2, 2017 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.). 

In accordance with 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 

www.transportation.gov/privacy. See 

also http://www.regulations.gov/ 

privacyNotice for the privacy notice of 

regulations.gov. 

Robert C. Lauby, 

Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety, 

Chief Safety Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2017–19683 Filed 9–15–17; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–06–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Railroad Administration 

[Docket Number FRA–2017–0083] 

Petition for Waiver of Compliance 

The Federal Railroad Administration 

(FRA) is providing notice that on 

August 16, 2017, the Yadkin Valley 

Railroad submitted an Informational 

Filing (IF) pursuant to Title 49 Code of 

Federal Regulations (CFR) § 236.913(j). 

This submission was assigned docket 

number FRA–2017–0083. 

The YVRR submitted an IF requesting 

FRA approval to conduct field testing of 

a Train Detection System supplied by 

Next Generation Rail Technologies S.L. 

(NGRT) at Bethania Road highway-rail 

crossing in Rural Hall, North Carolina. 

YVRR estimates that once installed, it 

will take seven days to configure the 

system to current rail traffic. After 

installation of the system, the proposed 

period of data collection will be 

approximately four months. YVRR 

asserts that its IF addresses all 

requirements of 49 CFR 236.913(j)(1), 

and that the system will be operating in 

shadow mode only to collect data, and 

will not interfere, impact, or 

communicate with the current signaling 

system. 

A copy of the IF and any related 

documents have been placed in docket 

number FRA–2017–0083 and are 

available for public inspection online at 

www.regulations.gov and in person at 

the Department of Transportation’s 

Docket Operations Facility, 1200 New 

Jersey Ave. 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. 

Robert C. Lauby, 

Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety, 

Chief Safety Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2017–19686 Filed 9–15–17; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–06–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Railroad Administration 

[Docket Number FRA–2017–0079] 

Notice of Application for Approval To 

Discontinue or Modify a Railroad 

Signal System 

Under part 235 of Title 49 of the Code 

of Federal Regulations (CFR) and 49 

U.S.C. 20502(a), this provides the public 

notice that on July 14, 2017, Ann Arbor 

Railroad (AARR) and CSX 

Transportation, Inc. (CSXT) jointly 

petitioned the Federal Railroad 

Administration (FRA) seeking approval 

to discontinue or modify a signal 

system. FRA assigned the petition 

Docket Number FRA–2017–0079. 

Applicants: Ann Arbor Railroad, Mr. 

John Vance, General Manager, 

Operations Office, 4058 Chrysler Drive, 

Toledo, Ohio 43608; CSX 

Transportation, Director Joint Facilities, 

500 Water Street, Jacksonville, FL 

32202. 

AARR seeks to modify the Hallett 

Interlocking, at Toledo, Ohio, by 

converting power-operated switches 

numbers 13A, 13B, 15, and 21 to handoperation. AARR signals 10L, 14R, 16L, 

18L, 18R, 18RC, and 22R are to be 

retired with signals 10, 12, 14, 16, and 

18 installed closer to the diamond. 

CSXT signals 2L, 4L, and 6R will 

become CSXT 2, 4, and 6, with new 

signal 8 installed. CSXT switch #20 to 

become CSXT switch #3. 

This modification is to be done in 

conjunction with the CSXT positive 

train control (PTC) project. 

A copy of the petition, as well as any 

written communications concerning the 


sradovich on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with NOTICES