[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 120 (Friday, June 21, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 37657]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-14891]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket Number FRA-2013-0061]
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 May 29, 2013, the Commuter Rail Division of the Regional
Transportation Authority (Metra) and its operating company, the
Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad Corporation, have
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 Train Control Systems, Devices, and Appliances.
FRA assigned the petition Docket Number FRA-2013-0061.
Metra seeks a waiver from the requirements of 49 CFR 236.566,
Locomotive of each train operating in train stop, train control or cab
signal territory; equipped. Specifically, Metra seeks FRA's approval to
operate nonequipped Metra switch engines over Metra's Rock Island
District (RID) in cab signal territory. The RID automatic cab signal
territory begins at Joliet, IL, Milepost (MP) 40.2, and ends at Blue
Island, IL, MP 14.5.
Metra seeks this waiver for two reasons: (1) Because its switch
engines are not equipped with cab signals and (2) because of the
occasional use of mainline trackage, there is no economic justification
for the installation of such cab signals. Metra's justification for the
request is that the movement without cab signals can be made safely
when the following proposed procedure is followed:
1. The train dispatcher or control operator is advised that the
equipment is non-cab signal-equipped switch engines prior to entering
main track.
2. The maximum authorized speed is 30 mph for non-cab signal-
equipped switch engines.
3. An absolute block must be established in advance of the
movement.
4. The equipment does not operate during the hours of peak commuter
train service.
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 August 5, 2013 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 June 17, 2013.
Robert C. Lauby,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Regulatory and Legislative
Operations.
[FR Doc. 2013-14891 Filed 6-20-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P