Notice2025-22371
Notice of Petition for Waiver of Compliance
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
December 9, 2025
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Railroad Administration
Abstract
This document provides the public notice that the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) petitioned FRA for relief from certain regulations concerning passenger equipment exterior side doors.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 234 (Tuesday, December 9, 2025)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 234 (Tuesday, December 9, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57127-57128]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-22371]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket Number FRA-2025-1050]
Notice of Petition for Waiver of Compliance
AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This document provides the public notice that the National
Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) petitioned FRA for relief from
certain regulations concerning passenger equipment exterior side doors.
DATES: FRA must receive comments on the petition by January 8, 2026.
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 <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> 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
<a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>; 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 <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> and follow the
online instructions for accessing the docket.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Harold Weisinger, Railroad Safety
Specialist, FRA Motive Power & Equipment Division, telephone: 202-493-
0036, email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#98f0f9eaf7f4fcb6effdf1ebf1f6fffdead8fcf7ecb6fff7ee"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="2941485b46454d075e4c405a40474e4c5b694d465d074e465f">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under part 211 of title 49 Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR), this document provides the public notice that by
letters dated November 8, 2024 and December 3, 2025, Amtrak petitioned
FRA for a waiver of compliance from certain provisions of the Federal
railroad safety regulations contained at 49 CFR part 238 (Passenger
Equipment Safety Standards). The relevant Docket Number is FRA-2025-
1050.
Specifically, Amtrak requests relief from Sec. 238.131(b)(4),
Safety system for manual and powered exterior side doors, which states
that if a door is equipped with a by-pass device, the by-pass device
must function ``only when activated from the operating cab of the
train.'' Amtrak, with Siemens, has been developing the Airo intercity
trainsets, which, in addition to the standard door summary circuit and
sealed door by-pass device located in the operating cab, includes a
``local sealed by-pass device . . . in the trainset.'' In its petition,
Amtrak states that the device ``allow[s] for [a] single car to be by-
passed if an issue arises enroute[,] while preserving the remaining
door summary circuit for the trainset.'' Amtrak adds that the switch
allows a conductor to by-pass the exterior doors on the single
passenger vehicle without by-passing the entire door summary circuit.
A copy of the petition, as well as any written communications
concerning the petition, is available for review online at
<a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a>.
[[Page 57128]]
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 January 8, 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 <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a>, as
described in the system of records notice (DOT/ALL-14 FDMS), which can
be reviewed at <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/privacy">https://www.transportation.gov/privacy</a>. See also <a href="https://www.regulations.gov/privacy-notice">https://www.regulations.gov/privacy-notice</a> for the privacy notice of
<a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a>.
Issued in Washington, DC.
John Karl Alexy,
Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety, Chief Safety Officer.
[FR Doc. 2025-22371 Filed 12-8-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on December 9, 2025.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.