Document ID: FRA-2019-0106-0003
Agency: fra
Document Type: Notice
Title: Petition for Waiver of Compliance
Posted Date: 2020-01-10T05:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 7 (Friday, January 10, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1372-1373]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-00210]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket Number FRA-2019-0106]

Petition for Waiver of Compliance

    Under part 211 of title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), this 
document provides the public notice that on December 4, 2019, Caltrain 
petitioned the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for a waiver of 
compliance from certain provisions of the Federal railroad safety 
regulations contained at 49 CFR part 238, Passenger Equipment Safety 
Standards. FRA assigned the petition Docket Number FRA-2019-0106.
    Specifically, Caltrain seeks a waiver of compliance from portions 
of 49 CFR 238.131(a)(1) for its new six-car Stadler Electric Multiple 
Unit (EMU) trainsets currently under construction. The Federal 
regulation incorporates American Public Transportation Association 
(APTA) Standard PR-M-S-18-10, Standard for Powered Exterior Side Door 
System Design for New Passenger Cars, first published February 11, 
2011, by reference. Section 2.9.1 of this standard, Design 
Construction, paragraph 6 states: ``Neither shall the emergency release 
mechanism require the presence of any interlock signals (e.g. ``low 
speed'' or ``zero speed'' signals) for actuation. When actuated, the 
emergency release mechanism shall override any locks, and it shall be 
possible to manually open the released door with a force not to exceed 
35 lbf.'' The petition states, ``for safety reasons, Caltrain would 
like to introduce a speed interlock to the door emergency release 
system.''
    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 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

[[Page 1373]]

connection with these proceedings since the facts do not appear to 
warrant a 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:
     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 Ave. SE, W12-140, Washington, DC 20590.
     Hand Delivery: 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE, Room W12-140, 
Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal Holidays.
    Communications received by February 24, 2020 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.
John Karl Alexy,
Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety, Chief Safety Officer.
[FR Doc. 2020-00210 Filed 1-9-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-06-P