Document ID: FRA-2013-0069-0003
Agency: fra
Document Type: Notice
Title: Petitions for Waivers of Compliance
Posted Date: 2013-08-06T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 151 (Tuesday, August 6, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47823-47824]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-18829]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket Number FRA-2013-0069]

Petition for Waiver of Compliance

    In accordance with Part 211 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal 
Regulations

[[Page 47824]]

(CFR), this document provides the public notice that by a document 
received on June 11, 2013, the Terminal Railroad Association of St. 
Louis (TRRA), has 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 232, Brake System 
Safety Standards for Freight and Other Non-Passenger Trains and 
Equipment; End-of-Train Devices. FRA assigned the petition Docket 
Number FRA-2013-0069.
    Specifically, TRRA seeks a permanent waiver of compliance from 49 
CFR 232.215, Transfer train brake tests, for train BNSF BNORE when 
empty and departing the US Steel Granite City Works (the Works) located 
at Granite City, IL. Title 49 CFR 232.215 defines the brake test that 
shall be performed on trains that travel between a point of origin and 
a point of final destination not exceeding 20 miles. TRRA's reasons for 
its petition are the unsafe walking conditions at the Works' Tracks 27-
31 and the potential of injury to TRRA employees. The condition cannot 
be corrected due to the large amount of ore pellets left after each 
train. Waiver of the transfer train brake test will prevent employees 
from having to walk in an unsafe area.
    The BNSF BNORE train, once emptied, travels from the Works to a 
location between 22nd and 25th Streets, a distance of 2.95 miles over 
U.S. Steel industrial track, TRRA track, and Norfolk Southern Railway 
track.
    TRRA therefore proposes an alternative compliance: When the train 
doubles up and departs the Works, the train's crew will perform an 
inspection mandated by 49 CFR 232.211, Class III brake tests--train 
line continuity inspection, and will perform a roll-by inspection. When 
the train is spotted to an outbound track between 22nd and 25th 
Streets, an inspection compliant with 49 CFR 232.205, Class I brake 
test--initial terminal inspection, will be performed.
    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 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 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 September 19, 2013 will be considered by 
FRA before final action is taken. Comments received after that date 
will be considered as far as practicable.
    Anyone is able to 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.). 
See http://www.regulations.gov/#!privacyNotice for the privacy notice 
of regulations.gov or interested parties may review DOT's complete 
Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on April 11, 
2000 (65 FR 19477).

Robert C. Lauby,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Regulatory and Legislative 
Operations.
[FR Doc. 2013-18829 Filed 8-5-13; 8:45 am]
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