DOT REPORT #47 - November, 1997 ================================================================= A compilation of rail notices published by the US Department of Transportation between November 1 - 15, 1997. Includes abandonment, operation and control notices, FRA orders and related petitions. Condensed from original. ================================================================= CONTENTS: The Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Company--Trackage Rights Exemption--Union Pacific Railroad Company Grand Trunk Western Railroad Incorporated--Trackage Rights Exemption--llinois Central Railroad Company Petitions for Waivers of Compliance ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Surface Transportation Board [STB Finance Docket No. 33497] The Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Company--Trackage Rights Exemption--Union Pacific Railroad Company Union Pacific Railroad Company has agreed to grant overhead trackage rights to The Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Company (BNSF) from Hobart, CA, near milepost 3.1, to Thenard, CA, near milepost 21.7, a distance of approximately 18.6 miles. The transaction was scheduled to be consummated on November 1, 1997. Because the exemption was filed on October 27, 1997, the transaction could be consummated no sooner than November 3, 1997. The purpose of the trackage rights is to improve the operating efficiencies of the BNSF. Decided: October 31, 1997. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Surface Transportation Board [STB Finance Docket No. 33499] Grand Trunk Western Railroad Incorporated--Trackage Rights Exemption--llinois Central Railroad Company Illinois Central Railroad Company (IC) has agreed to grant non- exclusive overhead trackage rights to Grand Trunk Western Railroad Incorporated (GTW) over 7.83 miles of IC's mainline track between IC's connection with GTW at Harvey, IL (milepost 19.77) and IC's connection with Norfolk Southern Railway Company (NS) at Chicago, IL (milepost 11.94), with the right to move from either milepost 19.77 or milepost 11.94 to IC's connection with the Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad Company (IHB) at HiLawn/140th Street in Riverdale, IL (milepost 17.77). The transaction is scheduled to be consummated on or after November 4, 1997, the effective date of the exemption. The purpose of the local trackage rights is to enable GTW (1) to expedite movement of predominantly automotive traffic to NS at Calumet Yard in Chicago, IL, and to move light locomotives back, and (2) to access the IHB. Decided: October 31, 1997. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Railroad Administration Petitions for Waivers 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 requests for waivers of compliance with certain requirements of its safety standards. The individual petitions are described below, including the parties seeking relief, the regulatory provisions involved, the nature of the relief being requested, and the petitioners' arguments in favor of relief. Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority [Waiver Petition Docket Number LI-97-5] The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) seeks a temporary waiver of compliance with certain provisions of the Locomotive Safety Standards, 49 CFR part 229. SEPTA is seeking relief for a period of one year, until December 31, 1998, from the requirements of Section 229.125(d) which requires each lead locomotive operating at speeds over 20 mph over one or more public highway-rail crossings be equipped with operative auxiliary lights effective December 31, 1997. SEPTA operates a fleet of 304 electric MU passenger locomotives, 8 electric locomotives, and 5 diesel-electric locomotives. The railroad states they have experienced numerous problems with contractors in providing needed material to equip their MU locomotive fleet thus resulting in significant delays in installation of the auxiliary lights. Union Pacific Railroad Company [Waiver Petition Docket Number LI-97-6] The Union Pacific Railroad Company (UP) seeks a temporary waiver of compliance with certain provisions of the Locomotive Safety Standards, 49 CFR part 229. UP is seeking relief for a period of one year, until December 31, 1998, from the requirements of Section 229.125(d) which requires each lead locomotive operating at speeds over 20 mph over one or more public highway-rail crossings be equipped with operative auxiliary lights effective December 31, 1997. UP indicates that they currently have 3060 locomotives equipped with auxiliary lights which accounts for 49.4 percent of their locomotive fleet. The railroad states they have experienced increased business levels, and locomotives scheduled for retirement prior to the rule taking effect will now be continued in service. The railroad plans to continue to equip locomotives as they are shopped for reasons other than periodic maintenance. Whenever possible, equipped locomotives will be utilized as lead units. Meridian & Bigbee Railroad Company [Waiver Petition Docket Number PB-97-7] The Meridian & Bigbee Railroad Company (MBRR) seeks a permanent waiver of compliance from certain provisions of the Railroad Power Brake and Drawbars regulations, 49 CFR Section 232.23, requiring the use of two-way end-of-train telemetry devices. MBRR operates one train at a time, seven days a week, between the hours of 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., and one train at a time, four days a week, Monday through Thursday, between the hours of 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. The day train originates in Meridian, Mississippi, runs to Myrtlewood, Alabama, then returns to Meridian. The night train originates in Meridian, runs to Naheola, Alabama, then returns to Meridian. Both trains operate with a three man crew and complete the scheduled round-trips within an average of ten hours. The maximum track speed is 40 mph and the ruling grade on the mainline is 0.92 percent. The average tonnage on eastbound trains is 3,020 tons and westbound trains 3,454 tons, although these figures many times go above 4,000 tons. MBRR would continue to use a one-way end-of-train device on their trains. MBRR states that the type of accidents which would require a two- way device to apply brakes on the rear portion of the train has never occurred and probably would never occur on their railroad. MBRR does not feel safety would be compromised if two-way end-of-train devices were not required on their trains, and that to reduce their track speed to 30 mph would reduce timely service to their customers and connecting railroads with no increase in safety. White River Scenic Railroad, Incorporated [Waiver Petition Docket Number RSGM-97-5] The White River Scenic Railroad, Incorporated (WRR) seeks a permanent waiver of compliance with the Safety Glazing Standards, 49 CFR part 223.11(c), which requires certified glazing in all locomotive windows except locomotives used in yard service. WRR is seeking this waiver for locomotive number WRR 2089, built in 1952 by the American Locomotive Company for the United States Army Transportation Corps, which was never equipped with FRA certified glazing. The locomotive owner indicates that the locomotive is utilized in passenger excursion service between Flippin and Sylamore, Arkansas, in a rural area along the White River. The railroad's maximum authorized speed is 25 mph. Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway [Waiver Petition Docket Numbers SA-97-5 and PB-97-8] The Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (BNSF) seeks a waiver of compliance from certain provisions of the Safety Appliance Standards, 49 CFR Section 231, for operating the Triple Crown RoadRailer trains between Argentine Yard in Kansas City, Kansas, and the Saginaw Yard in Saginaw, Texas. The train consist will be restricted to 125 RoadRailers equipped with a CouplerMate between the hauling locomotive and the first car in the RoadRailer train. The RoadRailer has no safety appliances and the waiver would permit non-compliance with all the provisions of the Safety Appliance Standards. These regulatory standards include provisions for the number, location, and dimensional specification for the handholds, ladders, sill steps, and hand brakes that are required for each railroad freight car. Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway [Waiver Petition Docket Numbers SA-97-6 and PB-97-11] The Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (BNSF) seeks a waiver of compliance from certain provisions of the Safety Appliance Standards, 49 CFR Section 231, for operating a Thrall built articulated multi- level car and Wabash AllRailer and AutoRailer train between San Diego and Richmond, California. The train makeup would consist of the two units, Thrall built, articulated multi-level car on the head end, followed by a CouplerMate and three unit AllRailers, and then another CouplerMate and eleven AutoRailers. The RoadRailer has no safety appliances and the waiver would permit non-compliance with all the provisions of the Safety Appliance Standards. These regulatory standards include provisions for the number, location, and dimensional specification for the handholds, ladders, sill steps, and hand brakes that are required for each railroad freight car. Issued in Washington, D.C. on November 5, 1997. ================================================================== Comments or questions about this compilation should be directed to Paul Moore at 71367.1057@Compuserve.com. ==================================================================