80 FR 80450 - Petition for Waiver of Compliance

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 247 (December 24, 2015)

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 247 (Thursday, December 24, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 80450-80451]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-32452]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket Number FRA-2015-0127]


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 November 3, 2015, General Electric Transportation (GE) 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 229, Railroad Locomotive Safety 
Standards. FRA assigned the petition Docket Number FRA-2015-0127.
    GE has requested a waiver of compliance from the requirement of 49 
CFR 229.129(b)(1), that each locomotive (or a sampling of similar 
locomotives) be tested for compliance with the sound level requirements 
given in 49 CFR 229.129(a)(1) prior to entering service, for 31 new 
ET44AC Locomotives to be delivered to CSX Transportation (CSX) and 
numbered CSX 3375 to CSX 3405. The locomotives will be manufactured in 
Erie, PA, and delivered to purchasers from January through March 2016, 
when weather conditions will likely preclude successful testing in 
accordance with 49 CFR 229.129(c)(6). GE requests that the deadline for 
completing the horn testing on these locomotives be extended until 
September 30, 2016. In support of this petition, GE has submitted data 
showing that horns on the previous 2015 model ET44AC locomotives were 
compliant with both high and low sound level requirements, with some 
margin above the minimum and below the maximum. GE also submitted 
illustrations demonstrating that the horn location has not been altered 
and that the only concern is changes in the component of the horn noise 
affected by reflectance off the roof and roof discontinuities on the 
2016 model locomotives. Changes are generally less than 2 inches.
    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,

[[Page 80451]]

Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal Holidays.
    Communications received by January 25, 2016 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.
Robert C. Lauby,
Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety, Chief Safety Officer.
[FR Doc. 2015-32452 Filed 12-23-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-06-P