[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 243 (Wednesday, December 18, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 69454]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-27251]



[[Page 69454]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket Number FRA-2014-0048]


Petition for Waiver of Compliance

    Under part 211 of title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), this 
document provides the public notice that on September 13, 2019, Union 
Pacific Railroad Company (UP) petitioned the Federal Railroad 
Administration (FRA) to renew its waiver of compliance from certain 
provisions of the Federal railroad safety regulations contained at 49 
CFR part 232, Brake System Safety Standards for Freight and Other Non-
Passenger Trains and Equipment, End-of-Train Devices; 49 CFR part 229, 
Railroad Locomotive Safety Standards; and 49 CFR part 215, Railroad 
Freight Car Safety Standards. FRA assigned the petition Docket Number 
FRA-2014-0048.
    Specifically, UP seeks relief from 49 CFR 232.205--Class I brake 
test--initial terminal inspection, section 229.21--Daily inspection, 
and part 215--Freight Car Standards, to permit movement from the 
Ferrocarriles Nacionales de Mexico interchange point at International 
Yard on the Lordsburg Subdivision in El Paso, Texas, to both UP's 
Dallas Street Yard for westbound traffic, a distance of 2.8 miles, and 
to UP's Alfalfa Yard for eastbound traffic, a distance of 7 miles.
    Further, UP requests relief from provisions of Sec.  174.59--
Marking and placarding of rail cars. UP states that given continued 
compliance with Conditions 6 and 13 of this waiver, any necessary 
corrective actions required in accordance with Sec.  172.504--
Placarding, would be addressed at the Dallas Street and/or the Alfalfa 
Yards in conjunction with a part 215 inspection, as stipulated in 
Conditions 8 and 14 of the present waiver.
    UP also requests to modify existing waiver condition language 
(Conditions 3, 4, 10, and 11) to be consistent with other UP southern 
border crossing waivers. Also for consistency purposes, UP requests 
adding two conditions that are in such other waivers, regarding a 
quarterly meeting and the capability of putting the train into 
emergency.
    UP explains it has been operating under the original requirements 
set forth in this waiver since March 2015 and has found no adverse 
mechanical effect on operational safety. There have been no mechanical 
incidents in the movement from the International Bridge to the Dallas 
Street or Alfalfa Yards to date, inclusive of 2,945 trains interchanged 
northbound, involving no fewer than 180,700 freight cars.
    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 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 parties 
desire 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.
    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 January 17, 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 http://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/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. 2019-27251 Filed 12-17-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-06-P


