Document ID: FRA-2016-0086-0018
Agency: fra
Document Type: Notice
Title: Petition for Waiver of Compliance
Posted Date: 2022-05-27T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 103 (Friday, May 27, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Page 32226]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-11377]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket Number FRA-2016-0086]

Petition for Waiver of Compliance

    Under part 211 of title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), this 
document provides the public notice that by letter dated April 4, 2022, 
BNSF Railway (BNSF) petitioned the Federal Railroad Administration 
(FRA) to make permanent a waiver of compliance from certain provisions 
of the Federal railroad safety regulations contained at 49 CFR parts 
232 (Brake System Safety Standards for Freight and Other Non-Passenger 
Trains and Equipment; End-Of-Train Devices), and 229 (Railroad 
Locomotive Safety Standards). The relevant FRA Docket Number is FRA-
2016-0086.
    Specifically, BNSF requests to transition the current test waiver 
in this docket to a permanent waiver in which relief is granted from 
Sec.  232.205(c)(1)(iii), Class I brake test-initial terminal 
inspection, and Sec.  229.29(b), Air brake system calibration, 
maintenance, and testing, related to air flow method (AFM) indicator 
calibration intervals. The existing relief allows BNSF, CSX 
Transportation, Canadian National Railway, and Kansas City Southern 
Railway Company to test extending the AFM test intervals from 92 days 
to 184 days on locomotives equipped with the New York Air Brake CCB-II 
air brake systems. In support of its request, BNSF states that AFM 
calibration performance has been greatly improved over the lifetime of 
the test waiver and that the AFM test waiver committee has concluded 
that 184-day calibration significantly improves air brake system 
quality and offers additional benefits.
    A copy of the petition, as well as any written communications 
concerning the petition, is available for review online at 
www.regulations.gov.
    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 at http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
    Communications received by July 11, 2022 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/privacy-notice for the privacy notice of regulations.gov.

    Issued in Washington, DC.
John Karl Alexy,
Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety Chief Safety Officer.
[FR Doc. 2022-11377 Filed 5-26-22; 8:45 am]
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