Document ID: FRA-2014-0101-0004
Agency: fra
Document Type: Notice
Title: Petitions for Waivers of Compliance
Posted Date: 2014-10-20T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 202 (Monday, October 20, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62704-62705]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-24751]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket Number FRA-2014-0101]

Petition for Waiver of Compliance

    In accordance with Part 211 of Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations 
(CFR), this document provides the public notice that by a document 
dated October 3, 2014, the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit District 
(SMART) 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 236-Rules, Standards, and 
Instructions Governing the Installation, Inspection, Maintenance, and 
Repair of Signal and

[[Page 62705]]

Train Control Systems, Devices, and Appliances. FRA assigned the 
petition Docket Number FRA-2014-0101.
    Specifically, SMART seeks temporary relief from the requirements of 
49 CFR 236.0--Applicability, minimum requirements, and penalties.
    SMART proposes to perform acceptance testing of new diesel multiple 
units (DMUs) at speeds of up to 79 miles per hour (MPH) on trackage 
without a block signal system, as required in 49 CFR 236.0(c)(2).
    SMART is scheduled to receive its pilot two-car set of DMUs in 
February 2015. However, SMART's Enhanced Automatic Train Control (E-
ATC) system is not scheduled to be commissioned until 2016. SMART seeks 
permission to perform limited nonrevenue testing of its new fleet of 
DMUs at a speed not to exceed 79 mph, solely on a remote 6.3-mile 
segment of track, absent the installation of a block signal system. 
SMART is seeking to perform testing under this temporary waiver until 
its E-ATC system is fully commissioned.
    SMART has submitted a test plan with its petition that outlines the 
safety procedures that are to be in place during the testing.
    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 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, 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 December 4, 2014 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).

    Issued in Washington, DC, on October 14, 2014.
Ron Hynes,
Director, Office of Technical Oversight.
[FR Doc. 2014-24751 Filed 10-17-14; 8:45 am]
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