Petition for Modification of Standards and Alternate Compliance, 12759 [2022-04763]
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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 44 / Monday, March 7, 2022 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket Number FRA–2022–0017]
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
Petition for Modification of Standards
and Alternate Compliance
Under part 232 of title 49 Code of
Federal Regulations (CFR), this
document provides the public notice
that on February 8, 2022, the
HeritageRail Alliance (HRA) (cosponsored jointly by the Railroad
Passenger Car Alliance (RPCA))
petitioned the Federal Railroad
Administration (FRA) for a modification
of standards and alternate compliance
in accordance with 49 CFR 232.307,
Modification of brake test procedures,
pertaining to the Federal railroad safety
regulations contained at 49 CFR
232.717, Freight and passenger train car
brakes. FRA assigned the petition
Docket Number FRA–2022–0017.
Specifically, HRA/RPCA requests a
modification of standards and
alternative compliance pursuant to 49
CFR 232.717(d) using HRA
Recommended Practice RP–001–21,
which includes proposed alternate
compliance methods to fulfill the
requirements of § 232.717, Freight and
passenger train car brakes.1 HRA states
that many tourist/museum operations
employ obsolete equipment types that
are not subject to current Association of
American Railroads (AAR) Interchange
Rules, nor any other currently published
maintenance standard, and that in
recent years the maintenance of railroad
mechanical systems has moved away
from prescribed periodic attention to
performance based systems, and that the
assurance of safety is achieved by
employing more frequent periodic
testing (primarily single car tests) to
detect degradation of performance.
Railroads have also identified
opportunities to extend service intervals
through application of newer materials,
and as tourist and excursion equipment
is often used infrequently, extended
service periods may be warranted. The
Recommended Practice includes
justification of the reduction of
cleaning, oiling, testing, and stenciling
periods (an activity that in itself can
degrade the performance and service life
of the equipment), and provides
documentation guides on the operating
history to assure compliance with the
conditions of the extension.
A copy of the petition, as well as any
written communications concerning the
1 To view the Recommended Practice, see https://
www.regulations.gov/document/FRA-2022-00170001.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:50 Mar 04, 2022
Jkt 256001
petition, is available for review online at
www.regulations.gov.
Interested parties are invited to
participate in these proceedings by
submitting written views, data, or
comments.
All communications concerning these
proceedings should identify the
appropriate docket number and may be
submitted at https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the online
instructions for submitting comments.
Communications received by May 6,
2022 will be considered by FRA before
final action is taken. Pursuant to
§ 232.307(d), if no comment objecting to
the requested modification is received
during the 60-day comment period, or if
FRA does not issue a written objection
to the requested modification, the
modification will become effective May
23, 2022.
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), the U.S.
Department of Transportation (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/
privacy-notice for the privacy notice of
regulations.gov.
Issued in Washington, DC.
John Karl Alexy,
Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety,
Chief Safety Officer.
[FR Doc. 2022–04763 Filed 3–4–22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–06–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket Number FRA–2007–0007]
Petition for Expansion of Waiver of
Compliance
Under part 211 of title 49 Code of
Federal Regulations (CFR), this
document provides the public notice
that on July 9, 2020, SMS Rail Service
(SLRS) petitioned the Federal Railroad
Administration (FRA) to expand a
waiver of compliance from certain
provisions of the Federal railroad safety
regulations contained at 49 CFR part
PO 00000
Frm 00104
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
12759
223 (Safety Glazing Standards—
Locomotives, Passenger Cars and
Cabooses). The relevant FRA Docket
Number is FRA–2007–0007.
Specifically, SLRS requests to expand
its existing relief from 49 CFR 223.11,
Requirements for existing locomotives,
for locomotive SLRS 308, which is
currently operated within the Pureland
Industrial Park in Bridgeport, New
Jersey. SLRS requests to expand the
service area to include Penn Warner
Industrial Park in Morrisville,
Pennsylvania. In support of its request,
SLRS states that neither area has a
history of vandalism or broken glass,
nor overhead bridges or tunnels.
Additionally, SLRS notes that track
speeds are restricted speed not
exceeding 10 miles per hour.
A copy of the petition, as well as any
written communications concerning the
petition, is available for review online at
www.regulations.gov.
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 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 at https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the online
instructions for submitting comments.
Communications received by April
21, 2022 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), the U.S. Department of
Transportation (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/
privacy-notice for the privacy notice of
regulations.gov.
E:\FR\FM\07MRN1.SGM
07MRN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 44 (Monday, March 7, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Page 12759]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-04763]
[[Page 12759]]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket Number FRA-2022-0017]
Petition for Modification of Standards and Alternate Compliance
Under part 232 of title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), this
document provides the public notice that on February 8, 2022, the
HeritageRail Alliance (HRA) (co-sponsored jointly by the Railroad
Passenger Car Alliance (RPCA)) petitioned the Federal Railroad
Administration (FRA) for a modification of standards and alternate
compliance in accordance with 49 CFR 232.307, Modification of brake
test procedures, pertaining to the Federal railroad safety regulations
contained at 49 CFR 232.717, Freight and passenger train car brakes.
FRA assigned the petition Docket Number FRA-2022-0017.
Specifically, HRA/RPCA requests a modification of standards and
alternative compliance pursuant to 49 CFR 232.717(d) using HRA
Recommended Practice RP-001-21, which includes proposed alternate
compliance methods to fulfill the requirements of Sec. 232.717,
Freight and passenger train car brakes.\1\ HRA states that many
tourist/museum operations employ obsolete equipment types that are not
subject to current Association of American Railroads (AAR) Interchange
Rules, nor any other currently published maintenance standard, and that
in recent years the maintenance of railroad mechanical systems has
moved away from prescribed periodic attention to performance based
systems, and that the assurance of safety is achieved by employing more
frequent periodic testing (primarily single car tests) to detect
degradation of performance. Railroads have also identified
opportunities to extend service intervals through application of newer
materials, and as tourist and excursion equipment is often used
infrequently, extended service periods may be warranted. The
Recommended Practice includes justification of the reduction of
cleaning, oiling, testing, and stenciling periods (an activity that in
itself can degrade the performance and service life of the equipment),
and provides documentation guides on the operating history to assure
compliance with the conditions of the extension.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ To view the Recommended Practice, see https://www.regulations.gov/document/FRA-2022-0017-0001.
_____________________________________-
A copy of the petition, as well as any written communications
concerning the petition, is available for review online at
www.regulations.gov.
Interested parties are invited to participate in these proceedings
by submitting written views, data, or comments.
All communications concerning these proceedings should identify the
appropriate docket number and may be submitted at https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting
comments.
Communications received by May 6, 2022 will be considered by FRA
before final action is taken. Pursuant to Sec. 232.307(d), if no
comment objecting to the requested modification is received during the
60-day comment period, or if FRA does not issue a written objection to
the requested modification, the modification will become effective May
23, 2022.
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), the U.S. Department of Transportation (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/privacy-notice for the privacy notice of
regulations.gov.
Issued in Washington, DC.
John Karl Alexy,
Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety, Chief Safety Officer.
[FR Doc. 2022-04763 Filed 3-4-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P