[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 91 (Thursday, May 10, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 27539]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-11337]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket Number FRA-2012-0020]
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 March 8, 2012, the Union Pacific Railroad (UP) 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 234. FRA assigned the petition Docket Number FRA-2012-
0020.
UP seeks a waiver from the portion of 49 CFR Section 234.223, Gate
arm. Section 234.223 requires that ``each gate arm shall start its
downward motion not less than three seconds after flashing lights begin
to operate * * *.''
UP also requests that the normal position of the gate arm down and
the flashing lights dark not be considered as an activation failure,
partial activation, or a false activation under 49 CFR 234.5.
This waiver petition is related to the Illinois high-speed
passenger rail project on the route between Chicago, IL, and St. Louis,
MO; on UP's Joliet and Springfield Subdivisions. This route is owned
and maintained by UP. High-speed passenger operation will be conducted
by the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) or another
operator designated by the Illinois Department of Transportation
(IDOT).
At farm private crossings (also known as field access crossings),
which are currently not protected by active warning devices, IDOT has
requested UP install active warning devices that operate differently
than standard active warning devices. Currently, there are 24 field
access crossings proposed for the installation of the nonconventional
crossing warning system.
At the field access crossings involved, the normal operation would
require the gate arms to be in the lowered position with no flashing
lights activated. Upon the train's approach, the flashing lights and
bells would then activate. To allow for the landowner to bring vehicles
or farm equipment across the crossing, it would be necessary to unlock
a pushbutton box and operate the pushbutton. The gate would then return
to the upright position and operate as a conventional active warning
system for either 8 hours, or if ``reset,'' via pushbutton within the
box. If not manually reset to the gate arm down condition, at the end
of 8 hours the gate arms would then return to the down position.
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 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 June 25, 2012 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 comment,
if submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.).
You may review DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal
Register published on April 11, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 70; Pages
19477-78), or online at http://www.dot.gov/privacy.html.
Issued in Washington, DC, on May 7, 2012.
Ron Hynes,
Acting Deputy Associate Administrator for Regulatory and Legislative
Operations.
[FR Doc. 2012-11337 Filed 5-9-12; 8:45 am]
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