Railroad power brakes and drawbars: passenger trains and equipment; public hearings,

[Federal Register: October 8, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 195)]

[Proposed Rules]

[Page 54104-54105]

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

[DOCID:fr08oc98-28]

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

49 CFR Parts 229, 231, and 232

[FRA Docket No. PB-9; Notice No. 14]

RIN 2130--AB16

Brake System Safety Standards for Freight and Other Non-Passenger Trains and Equipment

AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of Public Hearings and Technical Conference.

SUMMARY: By notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) published on September 9, 1998 (63 FR 48294), FRA proposed revisions to the regulations governing the power braking systems and equipment used in freight and other non-passenger railroad train operations. In that proposed rule, FRA announced that it would schedule two public hearings and one technical conference to allow interested parties the opportunity to comment on issues addressed in the NPRM. This document announces the public hearings and technical conference.

DATES: (1) Public Hearings: Two public hearings will be held on the dates and at the locations listed below to provide interested parties the opportunity to comment on the proposed revisions contained in the NPRM. The dates of the public hearings are as follows:

Monday, October 26, 1998 at 9:00 a.m. in Kansas City, Missouri.

Friday, November 13, 1998 at 9:30 a.m. in Washington D.C.

(2) Technical Conference: A technical conference will be held on Monday, November 23 and Tuesday, November 24, 1998 at 9:00 a.m. near San Francisco, California. The technical conference is intended to provide interested parties the opportunity to comment on the proposed revisions contained in the NPRM and to provide interested parties the ability to specifically discuss various technical issues identified below.

ADDRESSES: (1) Public Hearings: Hearings to provide interested parties the opportunity to comment on the proposed revisions contained in the NPRM will be held at these locations:

Kansas City, Missouri: Federal Building, 601 East 12th Street, Room 111, Kansas City, Missouri 64105.

Washington, D.C.: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Auditorium, Third Floor, Federal Office Building 10A, 800 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20591.

(2) Technical Conference: A technical conference will be conducted in the San Francisco area at: Embassy Suites Walnut Creek, 1345 Treat Boulevard, Walnut Creek, California 94596. See Supplementary Information for details.

(3) Docket Clerk: Written notification should identify the docket number and must be submitted in triplicate to the Docket Clerk, Office of Chief Counsel, Federal Railroad Administration, RCC-10, 400 Seventh Street, Stop 10, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20590.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Leon Smith, Deputy Regional Administrator--Region 3, FRA Office of Safety, RRS-14, 400 Seventh Street, S.W., Stop 25, Washington, D.C. 20950 (telephone 404-562-3800), or Thomas Herrmann, Trial Attorney, Office of the Chief Counsel, RCC- 10, 400 Seventh Street, S.W., Stop 10, Washington, D.C. 20950 (telephone 202-493-6053).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Technical Conference

The technical conference will address specific technical issues that might not be addressed in the oral comments presented at the public hearings. These include:

‹bullet› Issues related to dynamic brakes, particularly the concerns raised in recent recommendations issued by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and other issues related to safely negotiating heavy grades with loaded, high capacity cars in the consist. See 63 FR 48313-15, NTSB Recommendations R-98-1 through 98-7 (February 25, 1998).

‹bullet› Issues related to two-way end-of-train devices, such as: bench testing; doubling hills; and heavy grade operations. See 63 FR 48322-23.

‹bullet› Issues related to the securement of standing equipment. See 63 FR 48331-32.

‹bullet› Issues related to the performance of brake tests utilizing yard air sources. See 63 FR 48344.

‹bullet› Issues related to the use and operation of Helper Link devices. See 63 FR 48345.

FRA invites all interested parties to participate in the technical conference. FRA believes that technical discussion from all interested parties will contribute to an effective final regulation. For this conference to be successful, participants should be prepared to discuss, at a minimum, the issues identified above and provide reasonable alternatives. FRA also encourages participants to bring supporting documentation where appropriate.

[[Page 54105]]

Public Participation Procedures

Any person wishing to participate in either the public hearings or the technical conference should notify the Docket Clerk by mail at the address provided in the ADDRESSES section at least five working days prior to the date of the hearing or conference and submit three copies of the oral statement that he or she intends to make at the hearing. The notification should identify the party the person represents, and the particular subject(s) the person plans to address. The notification should also provide the Docket Clerk with the participant's mailing address. FRA reserves the right to limit participation in the hearings of persons who fail to provide such notification.

Issued in Washington, DC, on October 5, 1998. George A. Gavalla, Acting Associate Administrator for Safety.

[FR Doc. 98-27114Filed10-7-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910-06-P