[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 23 (Wednesday, February 4, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6169-6170]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-02161]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket Number FRA-2015-0003]
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 January 6, 2015, 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 213, Track Safety Standards. FRA assigned the petition
Docket Number FRA-2015-0003.
Pursuant to 49 CFR 213.113(a), UP requests a waiver from the
accepted practice of stop/start rail testing to start a pilot test
process for nonstop continuous testing. The projected starting date for
implementing the test process would be June 1, 2015, and the test
process would continue for a period of 2 years. The test process would
occur on two separate locations within the UP system: the Marysville
Subdivision main tracks between Gibbon Junction, NE., and Marysville,
KS, and the Baird Subdivision main tracks between Fort Worth and
Sweetwater, TX.
For this pilot test, the process would be similar to the waivers
granted to CSX Transportation in Docket Number FRA-2011-0107 and the
Illinois Central Railroad as prescribed in Docket Number FRA-2014-0029.
UP would not have parallel or redundant stop/start testing on the
segments being tested in a nonstop process. UP would produce a progress
report on a bimonthly basis for review by FRA's Rail Integrity Office.
This report would include the in-service rail failure ratios per 49 CFR
part 213, a report on the miles tested, and the frequency of testing.
UP currently tests the Marysville Subdivision every 30 days and the
Baird Subdivision approximately every 90-120 days. UP plans to increase
the frequency on the Marysville Subdivision to every 15-20 days and the
frequency on the Baird Subdivision to approximately every 60 days with
this process. The nonstop continuous high-speed rail test vehicle will
be a self-propelled ultrasonic/induction rail flaw detection vehicle
operating at test speeds of up to 25 mph. Upon completion of each daily
run, data will be analyzed offline, at a remote location, by technical
experts with experience on another Class I railroad with this process.
The offline analysts will categorize and prioritize suspect locations
for posttest field verifications and hand tests. Field verification
will be conducted within an FRA-prescribed timeframe by UP qualified/
certified rail test professionals with recordable field validation
equipment based on Global Positioning System locations. All suspect
locations will be validated for 30 feet on either side of the suspect
GPS locations. Remedial actions will be applied based on the
verification results per 49 CFR 213.113, Defective Rails for confirmed
rail defect locations.
UP believes nonstop continuous rail testing will provide the
capability to test track more quickly and frequently, and minimize the
risk of rail service failures.
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 March 23, 2015 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
[[Page 6170]]
submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.). In
accordance with 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 www.dot.gov/privacy. See also
http://www.regulations.gov/#!privacyNotice for the privacy notice of
regulations.gov.
Issued in Washington, DC, on January 28, 2015.
Ron Hynes,
Director, Office of Technical Oversight.
[FR Doc. 2015-02161 Filed 2-3-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P