Exemption petitions, etc.: Florida East Coast Railway Co.,

[Federal Register: October 29, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 209)]

[Notices]

[Page 58089-58090]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr29oc98-133]

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 from 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.

Florida East Coast Railway Company (Waiver Petition Docket Number FRA-1998-4648)

The Florida East Coast Railway Company (FEC) seeks a waiver of compliance from certain provisions of the Railroad Power Brake and Drawbars regulations, 49 CFR Section 232, in order to administer a test program involving a test train equipped with an Electronically Controlled Pneumatic Brake (ECPB) system, manufactured by GE Harris Railway Electronics, L.L.C. (GE Harris), that operates from a radio signal. FEC has the support of GE Harris in this pilot test program that is tentatively scheduled to run from November 1998 through July 1999. This test program would need relief from 49 CFR 232, Appendix B, Specifications and Requirements for Power Brakes and Appliances For Operating Power-Brake Systems For Freight Service, as well as, other areas of Part 232 that reference the control of train brakes by increasing or reducing brake pipe pressure.

An FEC aggregate unit train will be used for this test program. Approximately 100 aggregate cars (plus 10 spare rail cars) and a group of four FEC GP-40-3, 3000 hp locomotives, will be equipped with the GE Harris EP‹INF›x‹/INF› Direct Braking system. This train will operate as a unit train that makes a daily round trip from Miami to Cocoa (City Point), Florida, and return. In conjunction with FEC crew training, it is GE Harris' intention to provide field support prior to and during the test program. This field support will consist of manning the test rain with capable and knowledgeable personnel.

FEC and GE Harris offers the following information about the GE Harris EP‹INF›x‹/INF› Direct Braking system. The system uses electronically controlled brake valves to operate freight car brakes as opposed to solely pneumatically controlled brakes. The EP‹INF›x‹/INF› Direct Braking system on this test rain will perform identically to current ECPB trains in operation today. With the EP‹INF›x‹/INF› Direct Braking system there is a pneumatically controlled valve which monitors train brake pipe pressure. Should the brake pipe pressure fall at a rate of 16 psi per second (or greater), or if brake pipe pressure falls below 50 psi, the train is automatically placed into an emergency brake application condition. This valve provides a method to apply emergency brakes independent of the electronically controlled brake value mode of operation, thereby incorporating a redundant level of safety on the train analogous to the current emergency brake systems. Another capability of the EP‹INF›x‹/INF› Direct Braking system is a full emulation of the current ABDX style valve. This means the entire train can be run using brake pipe pressure to control the train's brakes (traditional pneumatic control mode), as an alternative to the electric mode should the need arise. The EP‹INF›x‹/INF› Direct Braking system consists of a Car Control Device, On-Car power source (Power Generator, Voltage Regulator, and Battery), and two antennae mounted to each rail car. Locomotive equipment consists of a Head End Unit (Operator's Interface), Communications Module (Radio and two antennae.

Prior to the actual test program train, GE Harris will functionally verify each pneumatic emulating electronic brake value against required performance parameters at their lab in Melbourne, Florida. A static rail car test will be performed in two separate phases. Phase 1 will validate the ABDX emulating mode of brake value operation. The second phase will validate the communication channel and network integrity. Upon completion of all static and brake rack tests, actual ECPB control will be tested in detail using the communications channel on the Florida East Coast Railroad. These tests will be conducted on sidings and/or controlled (closed to other traffic) track. A Test Readiness Review of all complied data will be conducted, whereby all parties will be provided with the actual test results of each previous test phase and how the results meet the performance requirements necessary to operate a test train safely and confidently. The test train will be assembled and after a week of successful static testing, a moving test

[[Page 58090]]

will take place, ultimately leading to the operation of a 100 car test train use in revenue service.

FEC believes the GE Harris EP‹INF›x‹/INF› Direct Braking system fully complies with the intent of the Railroad Power Brake and Drawbars regulations, 49 CFR Part 232, and that safety will not be compromised. In all phases of the test program, a fully functional emergency portion of the valve is in place and will react if activated.

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 H-98-1) and must be submitted in triplicate to the Docket Clerk, Office of Chief Counsel, FRA, Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, S.W., Mail Stop 10, Washington, DC 20590. Communications received within 30 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 (9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.) at FRA's temporary docket room located at 1120 Vermont Avenue, NW, Room 7051, Washington, DC 20005.

Issued in Washington, DC on October 23, 1998. Grady C. Cothen, Jr., Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety Standards and Program Development.

[FR Doc. 98-29005Filed10-28-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910-06-M