[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 20 (Thursday, January 30, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5537-5538]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-01672]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket Number FRA-2007-27287]


Petition for Waiver of Compliance

    Under part 211 of title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations 
(CFR), this provides the public notice that by letter received January 
18, 2020, BNSF Railway (BNSF) petitioned the Federal Railroad 
Administration (FRA) for an extension of a waiver of compliance 
contained in Docket Number FRA-2007-27287.
    Specifically, BNSF seeks a second extension of relief from the 2-
year periodic testing requirements in Sec. Sec.  236.377, Approach 
locking; 236.378, Time locking; 236.379, Route locking; 236.380, 
Indication locking; and 236.381, Traffic locking.
    BNSF states that since the original waiver approval, 95.2% of all 
eligible locations across BNSF's network have been enrolled in this 
waiver program and received waiver-based locking tests on the extended 
schedule with no issues. BNSF is confident that by using this method, 
it has reduced the amount of disruption to signal circuits and 
operations while spending less time foul of track. Leveraging the 
benefits of technology and reducing the opportunity for human failure 
yields additional safety benefits, making this BNSF's desired method 
for performing these tests.
    BNSF requests to extend the waiver indefinitely. BNSF states it 
will maintain the testing procedures and testing interval as outlined 
in the waiver. BNSF further asks to eliminate the requirement to submit 
to FRA an annual updated listing of the eligible locations, because 
BNSF has already enrolled the substantial majority of eligible 
locations.
    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 Department of Transportation's 
Docket Operations Facility, 1200 New Jersey Ave. 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

[[Page 5538]]

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:
     Website: 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 Ave. SE, W12-140, Washington, DC 20590.
     Hand Delivery: 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE, Room W12-140, 
Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal Holidays.
    Communications received by March 16, 2020 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), 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 
https://www.regulations.gov/privacyNotice for the privacy notice of 
regulations.gov.

    Issued in Washington, DC.
John Karl Alexy,
Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety Chief Safety Officer.
[FR Doc. 2020-01672 Filed 1-29-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-06-P


