Document ID: FRA-2018-0097-0003
Agency: fra
Document Type: Notice
Title: Petitions for Special Approval of Alternate Standard
Posted Date: 2018-12-04T05:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 233 (Tuesday, December 4, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62658-62659]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-26291]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket Number FRA-2018-0097]

Petition for Special Approval of Alternate Standard

    Under part 238 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations 
(CFR), this provides the public notice that by a letter dated November 
2, 2018, the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) 
petitioned the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for a Special 
Approval of an alternate standard for 49 CFR 238.311(a), Single car 
test, as prescribed in 49 CFR 238.21(b), Special approval procedure. 
FRA assigned the request docket number FRA-2018-0097.
    APTA requests consideration for Special Approval of the submitted 
alternate standard identified as APTA PR-M-S-005-98, Rev. 4, ``Code of 
Tests for Passenger Car Equipment Using Single Car Testing,'' as the 
latest update to APTA Standard SS-M-005-98, ``Code of Tests for 
Passenger Car Equipment Using Single Car Testing Device,'' as specified 
in 49 CFR 238.311. APTA states the new revision updates procedures to 
assure uniform full-service reductions, the order of tests has been 
rearranged to facilitate the testing process, and provisions for 
testing electronic air brakes have been added. A summary of the changes 
made to the previous revisions can be found on page 26 of the proposed 
alternate standard,

[[Page 62659]]

which has been posted to the public docket for this proceeding. APTA 
further states that because no fundamental changes to the base air test 
requirements were made, no detailed analysis of safety equivalency with 
the previous approved standard is necessary.
    Copies of these documents and the petition, as well as any written 
communications concerning the petition, are 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 hearing. If any interested party 
desires 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:
     Website: 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 January 3, 2019 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 http://www.regulations.gov/#!privacyNotice for the 
privacy notice of regulations.gov.

    Issued in Washington, DC.
Robert C. Lauby,
Associate Administrator for Safety Chief Safety Officer.
[FR Doc. 2018-26291 Filed 12-3-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-06-P