Exemption petitions, etc.: Railroad Museum of New England/Naugatuck Railroad,

[Federal Register: June 9, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 110)]

[Notices]

[Page 31581-31582]

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

[DOCID:fr09jn98-147]

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

Petition for a Waiver of Compliance

In accordance with 49 CFR Sections 211.9 and 211.41, notice is hereby given that the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has received a request for a waiver of compliance with certain requirements of Federal railroad safety regulations. The 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.

Interested parties are invited to participate in this proceeding by submitting written views, data, or comments. FRA does not anticipate scheduling a public hearing in connection with this proceeding 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 No. RSEQ-98-1) and

[[Page 31582]]

must be submitted in triplicate to the Docket Clerk, Office of Chief Counsel, Federal Railroad Administration, Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20590. Communications within 30 days of the date of publication 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.) in FRA's Docket Room, Room 7051 at 1120 Vermont Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20590. The waiver petition is as follows.

Railroad Museum of New England/Naugatuck Railroad (NAUG) FRA Waiver Petition Docket No. RSEQ-98-1

The NAUG seeks a waiver of compliance with Part 240 of Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, ``Qualifications for Locomotive Engineers'' (49 CFR Part 240). NAUG's petition states that in keeping with the Museum's educational mission, NAUG's Engineer for an hour program is designed to give participants the experience of operating a locomotive (under controlled conditions) and to learn how a diesel- electric locomotive works. Motive power would be drawn from the Museum's pool of three road switcher units, a 1950 Alco RS-3, a 1965 GE U25B and a 1957 EMD GP-9.

The operating zone would be between MP 12 and MP 16.3 on the Northern end of the Naugatuck Railroad. This section of the railroad contains no at grade crossings, no turnouts and no bridges. The regular Naugatuck excursion trains operate between MP 1 and MP 11, thus allowing a one mile separation between operating zones. The base of operations would be located at the East Litchfield station.

Participants will reserve a session in advance and must be 21 years or older. Additionally, the participant must provide a copy of a recent physical exam or a doctor's letter, sign a release of liability, wear appropriate footwear, clothing and eye protection and must, in the judgement of the Museum's representatives, be able to operate the locomotive safely.

Each participant will attend a one hour classroom session covering railroad safety and instruction on the basic theory of diesel electric locomotives and air brakes. Printed instructional material will be sent to each participant in advance. At all times, each participant will be under the supervision of Naugatuck Railroad's Supervisor of Locomotive Engineers.

The proposed dates for this program are various weekends and holidays between July 1 and November 30, 1998 and 1999.

Issued in Washington D.C. on June 2, 1998. Grady C. Cothen, Jr., Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety Standards and Program Development.

[FR Doc. 98-15185Filed6-8-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910-06-P