
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 79 (Monday, April 25, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24171-24172]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-09445]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket Number FRA-2015-0019]


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 February 11, 2016, Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) requested that 
the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Railroad Safety Board (Board) 
approve an amendment to its existing waiver in order to expand the 
territory inspected pursuant to its nonstop continuous rail testing 
process. The projected starting date for implementing the expansion 
would be March 1, 2016, and the testing process would continue up to 
July 1, 2018.
    The original waiver grants relief from 49 CFR 213.113(a) and allows 
NS to perform a continuous rail test process on certain designated 
tracks in lieu of the stop/start rail testing required by the 
regulation. NS is currently using nonstop continuous testing on the 
main tracks of the Dearborn Division, Chicago Line (Cleveland, OH, to 
Chicago, IL, Milepost (MP) CD 181.2-523.3)). Once this district has 
been completed, NS would expand the continuous testing process to the 
following locations: (1) Dearborn Division Cleveland Line (Ravenna to 
Drawbridge, MP RD 85.9-123.2), Chicago District (Chicago, IL, to 
Hobart, IN, MP B 518.7-486.5), Lake Erie District (Euclid to Bay 
Village, B 172.0-197.3); (2) Lake Division Chicago, Fostoria, and 
Cleveland Districts (Hobart, IN, to Bay Village, OH, MPB 486.5-197.3); 
(3) Pittsburgh Division, Fort Wayne Line (Pittsburgh, PA, to Crestline, 
OH, MP PC 0.0-188.7), Pittsburgh Line (Pittsburgh, PA, to CP Cannon MP, 
PT 353.5-119.1), Conemaugh Line (CP Conpit to CP Penn MP LC 0.0-77.9), 
Lake Erie District (Euclid to Ashtabula, B 172.0-129.2), Cleveland Line 
(Ravenna to Alliance, MP RD 85.9-67.2); and (4) Harrisburg Division, 
Pittsburgh Line (Harris to CP Cannon, MP PT 104.9-119.1), Harrisburg 
Line (Falls to Harrisburg, PA, MP HP 5.2-112.9), Port Road Branch (Port 
to Banks, MP EP 33.7-76.1 and Perryville to Port, MP PD 0.3-39.7).
    The expanded inspection territories include: Central Division, 
Cincinnati,

[[Page 24172]]

New Orleans and Texas Pacific Railway (Cincinnati, OH, to Chattanooga, 
TN, MP 2.46-338.2 Tracks 1 and 2); Georgia Division Atlanta, North 
District (Chattanooga, TN, to Atlanta, GA, MP 226.68-235.07 A and 
15.12-158.8 H Tracks 1 and 2); Dearborn Division, Detroit District 
(Detroit, MI, to Butler, IN, MP D 1.4-116.0); and Lake Division, New 
Castle District (Mill, OH, to Ft. Wayne, IN, MP CF 16.5-185.8). NS 
plans to test the expanded territories approximately every 30 to 45 
days.
    The nonstop continuous rail test vehicle is a self-propelled 
ultrasonic/induction rail flaw detection vehicle operating at test 
speeds up to 30 mph. Upon completion of each daily run, data is 
analyzed offline by technical experts experienced with the process on 
other Class I railroads. The analysis categorizes and prioritizes 
suspect locations for post-test field verification and hand tests. 
Field verification is conducted by qualified and certified rail test 
professionals with recordable field validation equipment based on GPS 
location and known track features identified within the flaw detection 
electronic record. Remedial actions are applied based on the findings 
per 49 CFR 213.113 for confirmed rail defect locations.
    NS' Engineering Department will continue to provide FRA's Rail 
Integrity office with rail test reports for review as required. NS 
believes expansion of the nonstop continuous rail testing to additional 
territory will continue to provide the capability to test track more 
quickly and frequently, and minimize the risk of rail service failures.
    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 (e.g., Waiver Petition Docket Number FRA-
2015-0019) 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 by June 9, 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.

Robert C. Lauby,
Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety, Chief Safety Officer.
[FR Doc. 2016-09445 Filed 4-22-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P


