[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 209 (Friday, October 29, 1999)] [Notices] [Page 58466] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 99-28349] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Railroad Administration [Docket Number FRA-1999-5895] Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway; Public Hearing On July 29, 1999, FRA published a notice in the Federal Register announcing Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway's (BNSF) request to obtain a permanent waiver of compliance from certain provisions of the Safety Appliance Standards, Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), part 231, and the Power Brakes and Drawbars regulations, 49 CFR part 232, concerning RoadRailer train operations over their railroad system. Specifically, BNSF requests relief from the requirements of 49 CFR part 231, which specifies the number, location and dimensional specifications for handholds, ladders, sill steps, uncoupling levers and handbrakes; and Section Sec. 232.2, which regulates drawbar height. As a result of comments received by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) concerning this waiver petition, FRA has determined that a public hearing is necessary before a final decision is made on this petition. Accordingly, a public hearing is hereby set for 10 a.m. on November 23, 1999, in the Minnesota/Michigan Conference Room at the FAA Building, 2300 E. Devon Avenue, Des Plaines, Illinois 60018. Interested parties are invited to present oral statements at this hearing. The hearing will be informal and will be conducted in accordance with Rule 25 of the FRA Rules of Practice (49 CFR 211.25) by a representative designated by FRA. The FRA representative will make an opening statement outlining the scope of the hearing, as well as any additional procedures for the conduct of the hearing. The hearing will be a non-adversarial proceeding in which all interested parties will be given the opportunity to express their views regarding this waiver petition without cross-examination. After all initial statements have been completed, those persons wishing to make a brief rebuttal will be given an opportunity to do so in the same order in which initial statements were made. Issued in Washington, DC on October 25, 1999. Grady C. Cothen, Jr., Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety Standards and Program Development. [FR Doc. 99-28349 Filed 10-28-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910-06-P