Document ID: FRA-2018-0004-0003
Agency: fra
Document Type: Notice
Title: Petitions for Waivers of Compliance
Posted Date: 2018-03-16T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 52 (Friday, March 16, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11814-11815]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-05309]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket Number FRA-2018-0004]

Petition for Waiver of Compliance

    Under part 211 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations 
(CFR), this document provides the public notice that on November 11, 
2017, Brightline (BLF) 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 
229, Railroad Locomotive Safety Standards. FRA assigned the petition 
docket number FRA-2018-0004.
    BLF has purchased ten Siemens SCB-40 locomotives to power 
Brightline trains between Miami and Orlando, Florida. BLF requests 
relief from the requirements of 49 CFR 229.61, Draft system, with 
respect to the daily inspection procedure for the front coupler. The 
locomotives are equipped

[[Page 11815]]

with a streamlined front coupler cover for improved aerodynamic and 
esthetic purposes. BLF will use the front coupler for rescue purposes 
only, and proposes to remove the coupler cover at 184-day inspection 
intervals as required by 49 CFR 229.23 (b)(1). During the daily 
inspection the front coupler will be visually inspected as best as 
possible from the bottom. The nose cone will not be removed unless the 
bottom visual inspection warrants further investigation based on the 
requirements of 49 CFR 229.61. If the front coupler is used in 
operations prior to the next daily inspection, the coupler will be 
completely inspected before the coupler cover is replaced.
    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 
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 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 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 April 30, 2018 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.

Robert C. Lauby,
Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety Chief Safety Officer.
[FR Doc. 2018-05309 Filed 3-15-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-06-P