Document
Notice of Petition for Extension of Waiver of Compliance
This document provides the public notice that the Association of American Railroads (AAR) petitioned FRA to extend relief from certain signal regulations.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Under part 211 of title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), this document provides the public notice that by letter received March 3, 2025, AAR, on behalf of its members, petitioned FRA for an extension of 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-2014-0085.
Specifically, AAR seeks an extension of relief from §§ 236.586(a),
Daily or after trip test,
and 236.588,
Periodic test,
to waive the requirement to perform after trip tests and to increase the time between periodic tests from not more than 92 days to not more than 184 days. In its petition, AAR explains that the waiver has allowed its members to perform signal inspections per § 236.588 in conjunction with the locomotive inspections required by § 229.23(b),
Periodic inspection: general,
which increases operational efficiency, while not having “had any corresponding negative impact on railroad safety.”
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.
Communications received by June 12, 2025 will be considered by FRA before final action is taken. Comments received after that date will be considered if practicable.
Privacy Act
Anyone can search the electronic form of any written communications and comments received into any of FRA's 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), DOT solicits comments from the public to 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.