Document ID: FRA-2020-0080-0003
Agency: fra
Document Type: Notice
Title: Petition for Waiver of Compliance
Posted Date: 2020-10-08T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 196 (Thursday, October 8, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 63653]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-22299]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket Number FRA-2020-0080]

Petition for Waiver of Compliance

    Under part 211 of title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), this 
document provides the public notice that on September 23, 2020, 
Colebrookdale Railroad 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-2020-0080.
    Colebrookdale Railroad is the operator of a tourist train over 8.6 
miles of track owned by the Eastern Berks Gateway Railroad. 
Colebrookdale Railroad operates four historic passenger cars with 
Westinghouse UC air brakes. The UC valves are required to be clean, 
repaired, lubricated, and tested every 15 months. See 49 CFR part 232, 
appendix B; Association of American Railroads Standard S-045. The 
petitioner seeks a waiver to extend this requirement to every 30 months 
to save costs and extend the operating seasons.
    The petitioner states that the UC valves are inspected by a 
certified brake shop in Leetsdale, Pennsylvania. Further, the 
Colebrookdale Railroad has never had a brake valve failure in seven 
years of operation, nor experienced an Initial Terminal Test or a Class 
III brake test failure, in any weather conditions. Additionally, 
improvements in gasket material and lubrication have increased the 
reliability of these older valves over the years.
    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 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 (DOT), 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 November 23, 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. 2020-22299 Filed 10-7-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P