Petition for Waiver of Compliance

Notice of Petition for Waiver of Compliance

DATES:

FRA must receive comments on the petition by April 3, 2026. FRA will consider comments received after that date to the extent practicable.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Under part 211 of title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), this document provides the public notice that by letter dated February 10, 2026, UPRR petitioned FRA for a waiver of compliance from certain provisions of the Federal railroad safety regulations contained at 49 CFR part 236 (Rules, Standards, and Instructions Governing the Installation, Inspection, Maintenance, and Repair of Signal and Train Control Systems, Devices, and Appliances). FRA assigned the petition Docket Number FRA-2026-0496.

Specifically, UPRR seeks relief from the requirements of § 236.566, Locomotive of each train operating in train stop, train control or cab signal territory; equipped, to operate historic steam locomotive Big Boy No. 4014 on portions of Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) property during a one-time tour. UPRR explains that it has discontinued cab signal systems after the implementation of positive train control (PTC), and locomotive No. 4014 cannot accommodate cab signal equipment because PTC components now occupy the locomotive cab space that previously housed the cab signal equipment. The petition states that the locomotive will operate per NS's operating procedures, instructions, and rules to maintain the "safety and regulatory compliance framework already available" on NS.

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 April 3, 2026 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.