
[Federal Register: May 21, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 99)]
[Notices]               
[Page 29568]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21my08-107]                         


[[Page 29568]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

 
Petition for Waiver of Compliance

    In accordance with Part 211 of Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations 
(CFR), notice is hereby given that the Federal Railroad Administration 
(FRA) received a request for a waiver of compliance with certain 
requirements of its safety standards. The individual petition is 
described below, including the party seeking relief, the regulatory 
provisions involved, the nature of the relief being requested, and the 
petitioner's arguments in favor of relief.

Norfolk Southern Corporation

(Docket Number FRA-2008-0029)

    The Norfolk Southern Corporation (NS), seeks a waiver of compliance 
from certain provisions of the Safety Appliance Standards, 49 CFR Part 
231, that requires uncoupling levers on each end of freight cars. 
Specifically, this request to remove uncoupling levers on thirteen (13) 
NS owned special equipment cars in rail train service while loading or 
unloading continuous welded rail throughout the NS system by NS.
    NS believes that these welded rail cars can be operated safely with 
the uncoupling levers removed and couplers immobilized. These welded 
rail trains are operated as units, and are not switched in yards as 
conventional freight cars. Due to the nature of moving welded rail, it 
is highly undesirable for cars to become uncoupled from a safety 
practice.
    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 (e.g., Waiver Petition Docket Number FRA-
2008-0029) 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 within 45 days of the date of this notice 
will be considered by FRA before final action is taken. Comments 
received after that date will be considered as far as practicable. All 
written communications concerning these proceedings are available for 
examination during regular business hours (9 a.m.-5 p.m.) at the above 
facility. All documents in the public docket are also available for 
inspection and copying on the Internet at the docket facility's Web 
site at http://www.regulations.gov.
    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 comment, 
if submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.). 
You may review DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal 
Register published on April 11, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 70; Pages 
19477-78).

    Issued in Washington, DC, on May 15, 2008.
Grady C. Cothen, Jr.,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety Standards and Program 
Development.
 [FR Doc. E8-11360 Filed 5-20-08; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910-06-P
