[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 76 (Tuesday, April 22, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16913-16914]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-06849]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket Number FRA-2004-20000]
Notice of Petition for Amendment to Waiver of Compliance
AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This document provides the public notice that Dallas Area
Rapid Transit (DART) petitioned FRA to supplement an existing waiver
from certain regulations to include locomotive horns.
DATES: FRA must receive comments on the petition by May 22, 2025. FRA
will consider comments received after that date to the extent
practicable.
ADDRESSES:
Comments: Comments related to this docket may be submitted by going
to https://www.regulations.gov and following the online instructions
for submitting comments.
Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and
docket number. All comments received will be posted without change to
https://www.regulations.gov; this includes any personal information.
Please see the Privacy Act heading in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
section of this document for Privacy Act information related to any
submitted comments or materials.
Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or
comments received, go to https://www.regulations.gov and follow the
online instructions for accessing the docket.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Mardente, Railroad Safety
Specialist, FRA Engineering & Technology Division, telephone: 202-493-
1335, email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under part 211 of title 49 Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR), this document provides the public notice that by
letter dated April 4, 2025, DART petitioned FRA for an amendment to a
waiver of compliance from certain provisions of the Federal railroad
safety regulations contained at 49 CFR parts 222 (Use of Locomotive
Horns at Public Highway-Rail Grade Crossings), and 229 (Railroad
Locomotive Safety Standards). The relevant Docket Number is FRA-2004-
20000.\1\
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\1\ The existing relief in this docket pertains to Sec.
229.125, Headlights and auxiliary lights, and Sec. 234.105,
Activation failure, which allows operation of DART's rail-fixed
guideway public transit lines that share limited connections with
the general railroad system, specifically with the Dallas Garland
and Northeastern Railroad. DART petitioned for an extension of that
relief on July 26, 2024. See https://www.regulations.gov/document/FRA-2004-20000-0023.
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[[Page 16914]]
Specifically, DART seeks additional relief from Sec. 222.21, When
must a locomotive horn be used?, and Sec. 229.129, Locomotive horn, as
DART uses a gong and horn on its system, which, DART states, provide
``an alternative measure of equivalent safety.'' DART adds that its
shared crossings are protected by gates, bells, and lights, among other
crossing devices.
In support of its request, DART contends that the requested relief
``will allow operational consistency, efficiency[,] and safety among
the entire fleet of DART [light rail vehicles] because it will allow
DART operators to use the same audible warning device at all crossings
within the DART Light Rail System.''
A copy of the petition, as well as any written communications
concerning the petition, is available for review online at
www.regulations.gov.
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 and a public hearing, they
should notify FRA, in writing, before the end of the comment period and
specify the basis for their request.
Communications received by May 22, 2025 will be considered by FRA
before final action is taken. Comments received after that date will be
considered if practicable.
Privacy Act
Anyone can search the electronic form of any written communications
and comments received into any of FRA's 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.).
Under 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits comments from the public to 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 https://www.transportation.gov/privacy. See also https://www.regulations.gov/privacy-notice for the privacy notice of
regulations.gov.
Issued in Washington, DC.
John Karl Alexy,
Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety, Chief Safety Officer.
[FR Doc. 2025-06849 Filed 4-21-25; 8:45 am]
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