80_FR_10243 80 FR 10206 - Petition for Waiver of Compliance

80 FR 10206 - Petition for Waiver of Compliance

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 37 (February 25, 2015)

Page Range10206-10206
FR Document2015-03787

Federal Register, Volume 80 Issue 37 (Wednesday, February 25, 2015) 
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 37 (Wednesday, February 25, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 10206]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-03787]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket Number FRA-2015-0012]


Petition for Waiver of Compliance

    In accordance with Part 211 of Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations 
(CFR), this document provides the public notice that by a document 
dated June 18, 2014, the Alaska Railroad (ARR) 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 236, Rules, Standards, and Instructions Governing the 
Installation, Inspection, Maintenance, and Repair of Signal and Train 
Control Systems, Devices, and Appliances. FRA assigned the petition 
Docket Number FRA-2015-0012.
    This request is for relief from the requirements of 49 CFR 236.51, 
Track Circuit Requirements. ARR is seeking to discontinue the existing 
electronic track circuit through the Whittier Tunnel and replace it 
with a vital axle counter.
    The location of the proposed track circuit replacement is from 
Whittier, Milepost (MP) F2.5 to Bear Valley, MP F5.2, on the Kenai 
Subdivision, Whittier Division, at Whittier, AK. The Whittier Division 
is a single track line with a traffic control system (TCS) with a 
dedicated TCS block used to protect Whittier Tunnel.
    The tunnel is 2.6 miles long and is a mixed use facility allocating 
exclusive train and automobile occupancy at any given time.
    The track circuit installed within the tunnel experiences false 
occupancy failures that contribute to a backup of train and auto travel 
through the tunnel. The embedded track and the consistently wet road 
combined with fouling soil and a failing pump system create an 
extremely low ballast resistance which inhibits the safe, reliable 
operation of the track circuit.
    Axle counters function by detecting the presence and traveling 
direction of wheels at entrance and exit points of defined blocks of 
track. The wheels are counted into and out of the block. If the same 
amount of axles are detected departing the block as were detected 
entering it, the block is considered vacant. Axle counters provide no 
broken rail detection, as required in 49 CFR 236.51.
    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 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 April 13, 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 February 19, 2015.
Ron Hynes,
Director, Office of Technical Oversight.
[FR Doc. 2015-03787 Filed 2-24-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P

10206 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 37 / Wednesday, February 25, 2015 / Notices Issued in Washington, DC, on February 19, rail detection, as required in 49 CFR Issued in Washington, DC, on February 19, 2015. 236.51. 2015. Ron Hynes, A copy of the petition, as well as any Ron Hynes, Director, Office of Technical Oversight. written communications concerning the Director, Office of Technical Oversight. [FR Doc. 2015–03783 Filed 2–24–15; 8:45 am] petition, is available for review online at [FR Doc. 2015–03787 Filed 2–24–15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910–06–P www.regulations.gov and in person at BILLING CODE 4910–06–P the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Docket Operations Facility, 1200 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION New Jersey Avenue SE., W12–140, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Washington, DC 20590. The Docket Federal Railroad Administration Operations Facility is open from 9 a.m. Federal Railroad Administration [Docket Number FRA–2015–0012] to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, [Docket Number FRA–2015–0011] except Federal Holidays. Petition for Waiver of Compliance Interested parties are invited to Petition for Waiver of Compliance participate in these proceedings by In accordance with Part 211 of Title In accordance with Part 211 of Title submitting written views, data, or 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), comments. FRA does not anticipate this provides the public notice that by this document provides the public scheduling a public hearing in a document dated January 29, 2015, the notice that by a document dated June connection with these proceedings since Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter 18, 2014, the Alaska Railroad (ARR) has the facts do not appear to warrant a Railroad (METRA) has petitioned the petitioned the Federal Railroad hearing. If any interested party desires Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Administration (FRA) for a waiver of an opportunity for oral comment, they for a waiver of compliance from several compliance from certain provisions of should notify FRA, in writing, before provisions of the Federal railroad safety the Federal railroad safety regulations the end of the comment period and regulations. Specifically, METRA contained at 49 CFR part 236, Rules, specify the basis for their request. requests relief from certain provisions of Standards, and Instructions Governing All communications concerning these 49 CFR part 240, Qualification and the Installation, Inspection, proceedings should identify the Certification of Locomotive Engineers, Maintenance, and Repair of Signal and appropriate docket number and may be and Part 242, Qualification and Train Control Systems, Devices, and submitted by any of the following Certification of Conductors. The request Appliances. FRA assigned the petition methods: was assigned Docket Number FRA– Docket Number FRA–2015–0012. This request is for relief from the • Web site: http:// 2015–0011. The relief is contingent on requirements of 49 CFR 236.51, Track www.regulations.gov. Follow the online METRA’s implementation of and Circuit Requirements. ARR is seeking to instructions for submitting comments. participation in the Confidential Close discontinue the existing electronic track • Fax: 202–493–2251. Call Reporting System (C 3RS) pilot circuit through the Whittier Tunnel and • Mail: Docket Operations Facility, project. replace it with a vital axle counter. U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 METRA seeks to shield reporting The location of the proposed track New Jersey Avenue SE., W12–140, employees and the railroad from circuit replacement is from Whittier, Washington, DC 20590. mandatory punitive sanctions that Milepost (MP) F2.5 to Bear Valley, MP • Hand Delivery: 1200 New Jersey would otherwise arise as provided in 49 F5.2, on the Kenai Subdivision, Whittier Avenue SE., Room W12–140, 240.117(e)(1)–(4); 240.305(a)(l)–(4) and Division, at Whittier, AK. The Whittier Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. (a)(6); 240.307; and 242.403(b), (c), Division is a single track line with a and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, (e)(l)–(4), (e)(6)–(11), (f)(l)–(2). The C3RS traffic control system (TCS) with a except Federal Holidays. pilot project encourages certified dedicated TCS block used to protect Communications received by April operating crew members to report close Whittier Tunnel. 13, 2015 will be considered by FRA calls and protect the employees and the The tunnel is 2.6 miles long and is a before final action is taken. Comments railroad from discipline or sanctions mixed use facility allocating exclusive received after that date will be arising from the incidents reported per train and automobile occupancy at any considered as far as practicable. the C 3RS Implementing Memorandum given time. Anyone is able to search the of Understanding. The track circuit installed within the electronic form of any written A copy of the petition, as well as any tunnel experiences false occupancy communications and comments written communications concerning the failures that contribute to a backup of received into any of our dockets by the petition, is available for review online at train and auto travel through the tunnel. name of the individual submitting the www.regulations.gov and in person at The embedded track and the comment (or signing the document, if the U.S. Department of Transportation’s consistently wet road combined with submitted on behalf of an association, (DOT) Docket Operations Facility, 1200 fouling soil and a failing pump system business, labor union, etc.). In New Jersey Avenue SE., W12–140, create an extremely low ballast accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT Washington, DC 20590. The Docket resistance which inhibits the safe, solicits comments from the public to Operations Facility is open from 9 a.m. reliable operation of the track circuit. better inform its processes. DOT posts to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, Axle counters function by detecting these comments, without edit, including except Federal Holidays. asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES the presence and traveling direction of any personal information the Interested parties are invited to wheels at entrance and exit points of commenter provides, to participate in these proceedings by defined blocks of track. The wheels are www.regulations.gov, as described in submitting written views, data, or counted into and out of the block. If the the system of records notice (DOT/ALL– comments. FRA does not anticipate same amount of axles are detected 14 FDMS), which can be reviewed at scheduling a public hearing in departing the block as were detected www.dot.gov/privacy. See also http:// connection with these proceedings since entering it, the block is considered www.regulations.gov/#!privacyNotice the facts do not appear to warrant a vacant. Axle counters provide no broken for the privacy notice of regulations.gov. hearing. If any interested party desires VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:05 Feb 24, 2015 Jkt 235001 PO 00000 Frm 00163 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\25FEN1.SGM 25FEN1


Document Created: 2015-12-18 13:09:23
Document Modified: 2015-12-18 13:09:23
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
FR Citation80 FR 10206 
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