Action
Change of hearing date.
Summary
On November 30, 1995, FRA published in the Federal Register a notice that the FRA received from the American Railway Car Institute (ARCI) a request for waiver of compliance with certain requirements of the Railroad Power Brakes and Drawbars Regulations. The ARCI seeks a permanent waiver of compliance from section 232.2 of the Railroad Power Brakes and Drawbars Standards (49 CFR Part 232). That section states in part: ``The maximum height of drawbars for freight cars--shall be 34\1/2\ inches, and the minimum height of drawbars for freight cars on such standard-gauge railroads--shall be 31\1/2\ inches,--ARCI is requesting to Increase the maximum allowable coupler height one inch from 34.5 inches to 35.5 inches for bottom shelf E couplers and top and bottom shelf E couplers only. ARCI states that the granting of this waiver will allow railroads and car builders to build safer and more efficient cars. It claims industry's need for safer suspension systems is being hampered by the small range of allowable coupler heights. Railroads, truck manufacturers, and freight car manufacturers know that rail worthiness of many cars would be improved if spring travel could be increased. For example, cars negotiating changes in super-elevation as they enter and exit curves would be subject to less wheel unloading if they had softer, more complaint, longer travel suspensions. Wheel unloading is most undesirable in curves, as the wheel set is often developing high lateral forces. High lateral forces combined with wheel unloading can result in derailment. The small range of allowable coupler heights severely limits the use of longer travel springs. By increasing the allowable range of coupler height by one inch would allow designers to make a significant improvements in rail worthiness. FRA has determined that a public hearing will be held in this matter. Due to extreme weather conditions which closed Federal buildings in Washington, DC., FRA was unable to hold the public hearing scheduled for January 10, 1996. As a consequence, FRA is rescheduling the public hearing to 10:00 a.m. on February 28, 1996. The hearing location remains the same and will be held in room 8236-8238 of the Nassif Building, DOT Headquarters Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC. We apologize for any inconvenience this rescheduling may cause. The hearing will be informal and will be conducted in accordance with Rule 25 of the FRA Rules of Practice (49 CFR Part 211.25), by a representative designated by the FRA. The hearing will be a nonadversary proceeding in which all interested parties will be given the opportunity to express their views regarding this waiver petition. Interested parties are invited to participate in these proceedings by submitting written views, data or comments. All communications concerning these proceedings should identify the appropriate docket number (e.g., Waiver Petition Number PB-95-3 and must be submitted in triplicate to the Docket Clark, Office of Chief Counsel, Federal Railroad Administration, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590.