Exemption petitions, etc. American Public Transportation Association,

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Federal Register: May 23, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 98)NoticesPage 29551From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

DOCID:fr23my05-89

[Page 29551]

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

Petition for Special Approval of Alternate Standard

In accordance with Sec. 238.21 of Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), notice is hereby given that the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) received a request for approval of an Alternate Standard 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.

American Public Transportation Association

Special Approval Petition Docket Number FRA-2005-20853

American Public Transportation Association (APTA) seeks approval for use of an alternate standard required to be used in accordance with the Passenger Equipment Safety Standards, 49 CFR Part 238. Section 311, single car test of passenger equipment brakes. Section 311(a) requires single car air brake test on all passenger cars and all unpowered vehicles used in passenger trains shall be performed in accordance with either APTA Standard SS-M-005-98, ``Code of Tests for Passenger Car Equipment Using Single Car Testing Device,'' published March, 1998; or an alternative procedure approved by FRA pursuant to Sec. 238.21. APTA requests that the requirement refer to a revised standard dated April 12, 2003, the revisions require a railroad to perform the single car test procedure at the same working pressure as the car being tested utilizes in revenue service. The March 1998 standards requires that the test be performed at 90 psi while some trains operate their brake systems at 110 psi.

Interested parties are invited to participate in these proceedings by submitting written views, data, or comments. Each comment shall set forth specifically the basis upon which it is made, and contain a concise statement of the interest of the commenter in the proceeding. 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 (FRA-2005-20853) and must be submitted to the Docket Clerk, DOT Docket Management Facility, Room PL-401 (Plaza Level), 400 7th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590. 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://dms.dot.gov .

Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all 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). The Statement may also be found at http://dms.dot.gov.

Issued in Washington, DC on May 17, 2005. Grady C. Cothen, Jr., Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety Standards and Program Development.

FR Doc. 05-10283 Filed 5-20-05; 8:45 amBILLING CODE 4910-06-P

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