Central Illinois Railroad Company-Operation Exemption-Rail Line of the City of Peoria, IL, 58504-58505 [05-20020]

Download as PDF 58504 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 193 / Thursday, October 6, 2005 / Notices McCullough Yard where it stayed for approximately 5 or 6 weeks before it was moved to Linwood Yard on March 12, 2005. From the time the car was interchanged to IORY until smoke was observed on August 28, 2005, FRA has found no records indicating that the IORY attempted to contact Queen City Terminals to arrange for delivery of the car. Time-Sensitive Commodities Each year, America’s railroads safely transport more than 1.7 million hazardous materials shipments to their destinations. Certain hazardous materials pose particular risks if not transported, and delivered, promptly. Among these are cryogenic materials, which must be transported, and maintained, at very low temperatures. Federal hazardous materials regulations (49 CFR 173.319(a)(3)) require that: The shipper shall notify the Federal Railroad Administration whenever a tank car containing any flammable cryogenic liquid is not received by the consignee within 30 days from the date of shipment. Notification to the Federal Railroad Administration may be made by e-mail to Hmassist@fra.dot.gov or telephone call to (202) 493–6229.2 Another group of chemicals are timesensitive because they are shipped with a stabilizing or inhibiting chemical that retards the chemical’s natural tendency to polymerize. Polymerization is a chemical reaction in which a large number of relatively simple molecules combine to form complex chains of macromolecules, often times with the evolution of heat and, in closed containers like tank cars, pressure. Of interest here, this process is how styrene monomer becomes the useful polystyrene that is so easily colored, molded, and fabricated.3 Of course, polymerization is not intended to occur while the material is being transported, which is why it is shipped with an inhibiting agent. The members of the Association of American Railroads (AAR) and the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association have adopted the recommendations contained in AAR’s Circular OT–55-H, ‘‘Recommended Railroad Operating Practices for Transportation of Hazardous Materials.’’ 4 This package of recommended procedures includes 2 A similar requirement, applicable to compressed gases in tank cars and multi-unit tank cars, appears at 49 CFR 173.314(g)(1). 3 Adapted from Hawley’s Condensed Chemical Dictionary, 14th edition,  2001, John Wiley & Sons, New York. 4 The AAR’s Circular No. OT–55–H was issued August 25, 2005, and became effective September 1, 2005, replacing Circular No. OT–55–G. VerDate Aug<31>2005 19:52 Oct 05, 2005 Jkt 208001 suggestions for time-sensitive materials. It places responsibility on the railroads for monitoring these shipments and escalating their response as necessary when any car with a time-sensitive product is delayed in transit. The circular includes a list of 20-day timesensitive products and a list of 30-day time-sensitive products. Products with a 20-day time-in-transit limit include Ethylene, refrigerated liquid; Hydrogen, refrigerated liquid; Chloroprene, stabilized; Methyl Methacrylate Monomer, uninhibited; and Hydrogen Chloride, refrigerated liquid. Products with a 30-day time-in-transit limit include Styrene monomer, stabilized and Recycled Styrene. Recommendations 1. FRA strongly encourages all railroads to develop procedures that conform to AAR Circular OT–55-H and to assure that railroad employees responsible for the movement of timesensitive chemicals are familiar with and clearly understand these procedures. Such actions will help ensure that these materials reach their destinations in a timely way. We note that, in accordance with the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR parts 171–180), rail carriers must make every effort to expedite hazardous materials shipments.5 2. FRA recommends that shippers and consignees monitor the progress of timesensitive materials that they have shipped and ordered. While the railroads have the primary responsibility to monitor the movement of freight along their tracks, close attention by shippers and consignees will provide an additional level of safety. A shipper sending a timesensitive load to a consignee should call the consignee (or use fax or e-mail) and let that party know a car is on the way and should arrive before the expiration of an appropriate number of days. As the due date approaches, either the shipper or the consignee, or both, should contact the railroad(s) involved for a report on how the car is moving. Some shippers and receivers have enough volume of railroad traffic to warrant the installation of automated car monitoring equipment or to hire car monitoring services. FRA is not prescribing how this extra involvement should take place, but the agency will evaluate this activity to determine the need for any future regulatory or other agency action. 3. The HMR require each person who offers a hazardous material for transportation in commerce to class and 5 49 PO 00000 CFR 174.14. Frm 00135 Fmt 4703 describe that material correctly.6 While the AAR’s OT–55–H includes a list of time-sensitive materials, and 49 CFR 173.314 and 173.319 regulate specific sub-sets, there are many other products shipped as ‘‘stabilized’’ or ‘‘inhibited.’’ Each of these has a chemical added, an inert gas blanket applied, or a shipping condition (such as cooling) utilized to promote product stability, purity, and safety. FRA recommends that shippers and consignees work with the railroads to explore ways to reduce the risks in transporting the full range of timesensitive materials. One good start would be to apply the recommendations in this notice and the concepts in the industry’s circular to such materials. FRA will be monitoring hazardous materials movements to ensure that those who offer for transportation and transport such chemicals in commerce work together to minimize the safety risks associated with the movement of time-sensitive materials. FRA’s investigation into the styrene incident in Cincinnati is not yet complete, but the fact that a car of timesensitive material, carrying an inhibitor, was apparently allowed to languish on the same railroad for seven months is not acceptable. Enhanced efforts by the chemical producers, users, and carriers to monitor their shipments appropriately will further reduce the already low likelihood of a similar occurrence happening again. Issued in Washington, DC, on September 29, 2005. Daniel C. Smith, Associate Administrator for Safety. [FR Doc. 05–20097 Filed 10–5–05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910–06–P DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Surface Transportation Board [STB Finance Docket No. 34753] Central Illinois Railroad Company— Operation Exemption—Rail Line of the City of Peoria, IL Central Illinois Railroad Company (CIRY), a Class III rail carrier, has filed a verified notice of exemption under 49 CFR 1150.41, et seq., to operate a line of railroad owned by the City of Peoria, IL (the City), extending easterly approximately 1.9 miles from a point of connection with the Peoria Subdivision of the Union Pacific Railroad Company (UP) at approximately UP milepost 71.5 to a point a short distance west of 6 49 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\06OCN1.SGM CFR 173.22. 06OCN1 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 193 / Thursday, October 6, 2005 / Notices University Avenue in Peoria, Peoria County, IL.1 Certification is made that CIRY’s projected revenues as a result of the 1 The subject line is proposed to be connected to an 8.29-mile rail line known as the Kellar Branch, which is owned by the City. The City was granted an exemption to construct approximately 1,800 feet of connecting track in Peoria in 2004. See City of Peoria, IL, D/B/A Peoria, Peoria Heights & Western Railroad—Construction of Connecting Track Exemption—In Peoria County, IL, STB Finance Docket No. 34395 (STB served Sept. 17, 2004). Also, CIRY received authority to operate the Kellar Branch in 2004. See Central Illinois Railroad Company—Operation Exemption—Rail Line of the City of Peoria and the Village of Peoria Heights in Peoria and Peoria Heights, Peoria County, IL, STB Finance Docket No. 34518 (STB served July 28, 2004). VerDate Aug<31>2005 19:52 Oct 05, 2005 Jkt 208001 transaction will not result in the creation of a Class II or Class I rail carrier. The transaction was scheduled to be consummated no earlier than September 14, 2005 (7 days after the exemption was filed). If the verified notice contains false or misleading information, the exemption is void ab initio. Petitions to revoke the exemption under 49 U.S.C. 10502(d) may be filed at any time. The filing of a petition to revoke will not automatically stay the transaction. An original and 10 copies of all pleadings, referring to STB Finance Docket No. 34753, must be filed with the Surface Transportation Board, 1925 PO 00000 Frm 00136 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 58505 K Street, NW., Washington, DC 20423– 0001. In addition, a copy of each pleading must be served on Thomas F. McFarland, 208 South LaSalle Street, Suite 1890, Chicago, IL 60604–1112. Board decisions and notices are available on our Web site at https:// WWW.STB.DOT.GOV. Decided: September 29, 2005. By the Board, David M. Konschnik, Director, Office of Proceedings. Vernon A. Williams, Secretary. [FR Doc. 05–20020 Filed 10–5–05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4915–01–P E:\FR\FM\06OCN1.SGM 06OCN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 193 (Thursday, October 6, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58504-58505]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-20020]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board

[STB Finance Docket No. 34753]


Central Illinois Railroad Company--Operation Exemption--Rail Line 
of the City of Peoria, IL

    Central Illinois Railroad Company (CIRY), a Class III rail carrier, 
has filed a verified notice of exemption under 49 CFR 1150.41, et seq., 
to operate a line of railroad owned by the City of Peoria, IL (the 
City), extending easterly approximately 1.9 miles from a point of 
connection with the Peoria Subdivision of the Union Pacific Railroad 
Company (UP) at approximately UP milepost 71.5 to a point a short 
distance west of

[[Page 58505]]

University Avenue in Peoria, Peoria County, IL.\1\
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    \1\ The subject line is proposed to be connected to an 8.29-mile 
rail line known as the Kellar Branch, which is owned by the City. 
The City was granted an exemption to construct approximately 1,800 
feet of connecting track in Peoria in 2004. See City of Peoria, IL, 
D/B/A Peoria, Peoria Heights & Western Railroad--Construction of 
Connecting Track Exemption--In Peoria County, IL, STB Finance Docket 
No. 34395 (STB served Sept. 17, 2004). Also, CIRY received authority 
to operate the Kellar Branch in 2004. See Central Illinois Railroad 
Company--Operation Exemption--Rail Line of the City of Peoria and 
the Village of Peoria Heights in Peoria and Peoria Heights, Peoria 
County, IL, STB Finance Docket No. 34518 (STB served July 28, 2004).
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    Certification is made that CIRY's projected revenues as a result of 
the transaction will not result in the creation of a Class II or Class 
I rail carrier. The transaction was scheduled to be consummated no 
earlier than September 14, 2005 (7 days after the exemption was filed).
    If the verified notice contains false or misleading information, 
the exemption is void ab initio. Petitions to revoke the exemption 
under 49 U.S.C. 10502(d) may be filed at any time. The filing of a 
petition to revoke will not automatically stay the transaction.
    An original and 10 copies of all pleadings, referring to STB 
Finance Docket No. 34753, must be filed with the Surface Transportation 
Board, 1925 K Street, NW., Washington, DC 20423-0001. In addition, a 
copy of each pleading must be served on Thomas F. McFarland, 208 South 
LaSalle Street, Suite 1890, Chicago, IL 60604-1112.
    Board decisions and notices are available on our Web site at http:/
/WWW.STB.DOT.GOV.

    Decided: September 29, 2005.

    By the Board, David M. Konschnik, Director, Office of 
Proceedings.
Vernon A. Williams,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 05-20020 Filed 10-5-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-01-P
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