[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 64 (Friday, April 3, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18282-18283]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-07617]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket Number FRA-2015-0019]
Petition for Waiver of Compliance
In accordance with part 211 of Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations
(CFR), this provides the public notice that by a document dated
February 27, 2015, Norfolk Southern Corporation (NS) 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. FRA assigned the petition Docket Number FRA-2015-
0019.
Pursuant to 49 CFR 213.113(a), NS 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 May 1, 2015, for a period of 3
years. The test process will commence initially on the main tracks of
the Dearborn Division Chicago Line (Cleveland, OH, to Chicago, IL,
Milepost (MP) CD 181.2-523.3). Once this district has been completed,
NS will expand to the following locations: (1) Dearborn Division
Cleveland Line (Ravenna to Drawbridge, MP RD 85.9-123.2), Chicago
District (Chicago, IL, to Hobart, IN, MP B 518.7-486.5), Lake Erie
District (Euclid to Bay Village B 172.0-197.3); (2) Lake Division
Chicago, Fostoria, & Cleveland Districts (Hobart, IN, to Bay Village,
OH, MP B 486.5-197.3); (3) Pittsburgh Division Fort Wayne Line
(Pittsburgh, PA, to Crestline, OH, MP PC 0.0-188.7), Pittsburgh Line
(Pittsburgh, PA, to CP Cannon, MP PT 353.5-119.1), Conemaugh Line (CP
Conpit to CP Penn, MP LC 0.0-77.9), Lake Erie District (Euclid to
Ashtabula, B 172.0-129.2), Cleveland Line (Ravenna to Alliance, MP RD
85.9-67.2); and (4) Harrisburg Division Pittsburgh Line (Harris to CP
Cannon, MP PT 104.9-119.1), Harrisburg Line (Falls to Harrisburg, PA,
MP HP 5.2-112.9), Port Road Branch (Port to Banks, MP EP 33.7-76.1 &
Perryville to Port, MP PD 0.3-39.7).
The nonstop continuous rail test vehicle will be a self-propelled
ultrasonic/induction rail flaw detection vehicle operating at test
speeds up to 30 mph. Upon completion of each daily run, data will be
analyzed offline by technical experts experienced with the process on
other Class I railroads. The analysis will categorize and prioritize
suspect locations for post-test field verification and hand tests.
Field verification will be conducted by
[[Page 18283]]
qualified and certified rail test professionals with recordable field
validation equipment based on GPS location and known track features
identified within the flaw detection electronic record. Remedial
actions will be applied based on the findings per 49 CFR 213.113 for
confirmed rail defect locations.
NS plans to test the Dearborn Division Chicago Line approximately
every 30 to 45 days and the extended territories within a similar
timeframe. The NS Engineering Department will also provide the FRA Rail
Integrity Office with rail test reports for review as required. NS
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 (e.g., Waiver Petition Docket Number FRA-
2015-0019) 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 May 18, 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 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 March 27, 2015.
Ron Hynes,
Director, Office of Technical Oversight.
[FR Doc. 2015-07617 Filed 4-2-15; 8:45 am]
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