Document ID: FRA-2001-10654-0019
Agency: fra
Document Type: Notice
Title: Waivers of Compliance; Petitions
Posted Date: 2017-08-22T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 161 (Tuesday, August 22, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39946-39947]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-17738]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket Number FRA-2001-10654]

Petition for Waiver of Compliance

    Under part 211 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations 
(CFR), this document provides the public notice that on July 13, 2017, 
the Association of American Railroads (AAR) has petitioned the Federal 
Railroad Administration (FRA) for an extension and expansion of an 
existing waiver of compliance from certain provisions of the Federal 
railroad safety regulations contained at 49 CFR part 213. FRA assigned 
the petition docket number FRA-2001-10654.
    AAR, on behalf of its member railroads, received permission from 
FRA to operate trains at Class 5 speeds over ``heavy-point'' frogs 
(HPF) with guard check gages conforming to the standards for Class 4 
track frogs on April 22, 2003. AAR requested and was granted two 
extensions, dated February 25, 2008 and January 18, 2013. The current 
waiver will expire on January 18, 2018.
    In the current petition, AAR requests an extension of the existing 
relief from 49 CFR 213.143--Frog guard rails and guard faces; gage, to 
continue operating trains at FRA Class 5 speeds over HPF with guard-
check gage conforms to the standards prescribed for FRA Class 4

[[Page 39947]]

track frog guard check and face gage dimensions. In addition, AAR is 
requesting that FRA amend the waiver to include relief from 49 CFR 
213.355--Frog guard rails and guard faces; gage to allow trains to 
operate at Class 6 speeds over HPF designs with guard-check gages 
conforming to the standards for Class 4 track frog guard check and face 
gage dimensions.
    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 October 6, 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.). 
Under 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.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on August 17, 2017.
John Karl Alexy,
Director, Office of Safety Analysis.
[FR Doc. 2017-17738 Filed 8-21-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-06-P