
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 175 (Thursday, September 10, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 54657]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-22790]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket Number FRA-2015-0082]


Petition for Waiver of Compliance

    In accordance with part 211 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal 
Regulations (CFR), this document provides the public notice that by a 
document dated July 27, 2015, the Norfolk Southern Corporation (NS) has 
petitioned the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for a waiver of 
compliance from certain provisions of the Federal railroad safety 
regulations contained at 49 CFR part 236, Applicability, minimum 
requirements, and penalties. FRA assigned the petition Docket Number 
FRA-2015-0082.
    This request is for relief from the mechanical locking requirements 
of 49 CFR 236.312, Movable bridge, interlocking of signal appliances 
with bridge devices, to the extent that NS not be required to install 
bridge lockings on either end of the lift bridge, Control Point (CP) 
509, located at Milepost 509.9 on the Chicago Line, Chicago, IL.
    The design of the CP 509 bridge dates to its commissioning in 1911 
and features circuitry and locking mechanisms installed in 1930. The 
design called for surface detection of the rails and circuit 
controllers on all four corners of the movable span to detect when the 
movable span is properly seated. Unlike the test requirements of 49 CFR 
236.312, which state that the locking member must be within one inch of 
proper alignment before a permissive signal governing movements can be 
lined, NS adjusts the span circuit controllers to three-eighths of an 
inch before a permissive signal can be lined. The regulation calls for 
a single point of mechanical locking on each end of the movable span, 
but the NS design has four points of detection to ensure the entire 
movable span is properly seated.
    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 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 October 26, 2015 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.

    Issued in Washington, DC on September 1, 2015.
Ron Hynes,
Director, Office of Technical Oversight.
[FR Doc. 2015-22790 Filed 9-9-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-06-P


