[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 211 (Thursday, November 2, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 50936]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-23840]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket Number FRA-2008-0029]
Petition for Waiver of Compliance
Under part 211 of Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), this
provides the public notice that on October 9, 2017, Norfolk Southern
Corporation (NS) 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 231, Railroad
Safety Appliance Standards. FRA assigned the petition Docket Number
FRA-2008-0029.
Specifically, NS is seeking a renewal of its waiver of compliance
from 49 CFR 231.1(k) which are the requirements for uncoupling levers
for box and other house cars built or placed in service before October
1, 1966. NS seeks this waiver for its Rail Train service, which is non-
revenue service operated by NS to deliver sections of continuously
welded rail to rail gangs replacing rail throughout the NS system. This
equipment has the sole purpose of hauling welded rail sections spanning
from car to car throughout the train. Sections of welded rail span
several cars at once and the cars serve as a continuous support for the
sections of rail while in transit and at the work site.
NS requests approval to operate all Rail Trains with uncoupling
levers removed from both ends of the rail cars that are coupled to one
another in this train service. These trains operate only on NS property
in Maintenance of Way service and are not operated in revenue service,
nor are they offered to other carriers in interchange. NS states that
its process of uncoupling cars allows for safe uncoupling through
utilization of Mechanical Department personnel under Blue Flag
Protection. Additionally, NS states that there are safety benefits to
be gained in granting relief from 49 CFR 231.1(k). Namely, the waiver
will help prevent unintentional train uncoupling during these
operations and the resulting potential employee injuries and damage to
rail structure and road bed.
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 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:
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 December 18, 2017 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 K. Alexy,
Director, Office of Safety Analysis.
[FR Doc. 2017-23840 Filed 11-1-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P