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[CNJRoss]

Railway Age, 9/9/19
 

PTC 87% Done: FRA

 

 

With 16 months left until the Congressionally mandated Dec. 31, 2020 deadline for full implementation of PTC (Positive Train Control), the U.S. railroad industry is drawing close, according to the Federal Railroad Administration’s Second-Quarter 2019 PTC Progress Report.

 

Based on the railroads’ Second-Quarter 2019 PTC Progress Reports, which were due to FRA by July 31, 2019, the 42 railroads subject to the statutory PTC mandate “are making steady progress,” FRA announced on Sept. 9. “As of June 30, 2019, PTC systems were in operation on approximately 50,300 (87%) of the nearly 58,000 route-miles required to be equipped by Congress. This reflects a 4% increase since first-quarter 2019. Nonetheless, railroads must still complete significant work to fully implement their PTC systems by Dec. 31, 2020, especially with respect to activating PTC systems on the remaining required main lines and achieving the necessary interoperability with their tenant railroads.” 

 

SNIP 

 

To view FRA’s infographics summarizing railroads’ progress toward fully implementing PTC systems as of June 30, 2019, visit https://www.fra.dot.gov/ptc. To view the public version of each railroad’s Quarterly PTC Progress Report for Quarter 2 of 2019, visit each railroad’s PTC docket on https://www.regulations.gov/. Railroads’ PTC docket numbers are available at https://www.fra.dot.gov/Page/P0628.

 

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FRA press release:  Federal Railroad Administration Publishes Railroads’ Second Quarter 2019 Positive Train Control Implementation Status Updates

[CNJRoss]

Progressive Railroading, 9/12/19

ASLRRA, Herzog partner on short line PTC solution

 

 

The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) yesterday announced an agreement with Herzog Technologies Inc. to provide a positive train control (PTC) solution specifically designed for short lines. 

 

Herzog’s back-office PTC solution allows railroads to offload complicated PTC technical responsibilities in order to focus on daily operations, ASLRRA officials said in a press release.

 

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Herzog’s offering joins a group of ASLRRA-curated PTC vendors providing service for short lines and regionals, made possible through a $2.5 million federal Railroad Safety Technology grant awarded to assist short lines in meeting PTC deadlines.

 

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[CNJRoss]

FRA news release 11/25/19

 

Federal Railroad Administration Publishes Railroads’ Third Quarter 2019 Positive Train Control Implementation Status Updates

 

ABSTRACT: The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) today released a quarterly status update on railroads’ self-reported progress toward fully implementing positive train control (PTC) systems. Based on railroads’ Third Quarter 2019 (Q3) PTC Progress Reports which were due to FRA by October 31, 2019, the majority of the 42 railroads subject to the statutory implementation requirement are operating PTC systems in revenue service or in advanced field testing, known as revenue service demonstration (RSD), as of September 30, 2019.

 

 

WASHINGTON - The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) today released a quarterly status update on railroads’ self-reported progress toward fully implementing positive train control (PTC) systems.  PTC accomplishes two of the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) top priorities—safety and innovation—by vastly improving rail safety with industry-designed emerging technologies that can monitor speed and automatically stop a train to prevent specific human-error accidents.  DOT has supported PTC implementation since the original 2008 mandate, providing technical support and administering over $2.5 billion in funding for freight, intercity, and commuter railroads for PTC through numerous grant and loan programs. 

 

“We remain steadfast in compelling and assisting railroads to successfully complete all steps necessary for full PTC implementation,” said FRA Administrator Ronald L. Batory. “The magnitude of this undertaking is immense, but putting PTC systems into operation demands diligence and a continued sense of urgency.”

 

Based on railroads’ Third Quarter 2019 (Q3) PTC Progress Reports which were due to FRA by October 31, 2019, the majority of the 42 railroads subject to the statutory implementation requirement are operating PTC systems in revenue service or in advanced field testing, known as revenue service demonstration (RSD), as of September 30, 2019.

 

All affected railroads have committed to implementing PTC systems on the required main lines by December 31, 2020, if not earlier.  To date, four host railroads and three tenant-only, commuter railroads report having fully implemented PTC.  The Q3 Reports reveal that in total, PTC systems are governing operations on 92.4% of all required route miles.  Specifically, Class I freight railroads report that PTC is in operation on 51,222 (95.4%) of their required route miles, a 4% increase since Quarter 2.  Host commuter railroads report they are operating PTC systems in revenue service or RSD on approximately 1,310 route miles (42%) of their 3,129 required route miles, a 5% increase since Quarter 2.  All railroads have committed to fully implementing PTC on their required main lines by December 31, 2020.

 

Amtrak, as a host railroad on and near the Northeast Corridor (NEC) and other parts of the country (including Chicago and Michigan), reports that approximately 899 (99.8%) of nearly 901 required route miles are governed by a PTC system.  Also, by law, six Class II or III, short line, or terminal railroads must implement PTC on their main lines that provide or host regularly scheduled intercity or commuter rail passenger transportation.  One of these six railroads has been operating its FRA-certified and interoperable PTC system in revenue service since 2018; one commenced RSD on its PTC-required main line during Q3; and the other four are currently conducting field testing on the general rail network in preparation for RSD.

 

With approximately 13 months remaining until the deadline set forth by Congress, Administrator Batory and FRA’s PTC subject matter experts are monitoring all railroads’ progress on a regular basis, and providing technical support to railroads not yet in RSD.  FRA continues to engage in a direct, sustained, and intensive manner, with all stakeholders underscoring the importance of railroads’ achieving full implementation of FRA-certified and interoperable PTC systems on all required main lines by December 31, 2020.  

 

Since 2008, the U.S. Department of Transportation and FRA have awarded approximately $2.6 billion in grant funding and loan financing for implementation of PTC systems.  That amount equates to approximately 18% of the railroad industry’s total estimated costs for initial PTC system implementation.

 

To view detailed infographics depicting railroads’ progress toward fully implementing PTC systems as of September 30, 2019, please visit https://www.fra.dot.gov/ptc.  To view the public version of each railroad’s Quarterly PTC Progress Report (Form FRA F 6180.165, OMB Control No. 2130-0553) for Quarter 3 of 2019, please visit each railroad’s PTC docket on https://www.regulations.gov/.  Railroads’ PTC docket numbers are available at https://www.fra.dot.gov/Page/P0628.

 

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[CNJRoss]

Roll Call 12/5/19
 

Train safety technology hasn't quite reached the station

 

Fatalities add up as cost and complexity delay full implementation of 'positive train control' system

 

 

After years of delays, a railroad safety system that federal regulators say could have prevented some 300 deaths since 1969 is finally close to full implementation — but large gaps remain, with commuter railroads using the system on fewer than half of the tracks required by December 2020.

 

Overall, the news for supporters of the so-called positive train control system is promising — 92 percent of the 58,000 track miles required to implement the safety system have it installed, according the Federal Railroad Administration, which is overseeing compliance with the law. 

 

But while Amtrak is using positive train control on 99.8 percent of its track miles and Class 1 freight railroads — which account for 53,718 of the track miles covered under the statute — are operating the system on 95.4 percent of their  tracks, commuter railroads and miscellaneous railroads have a way to go.

 

As of September, just 41.9 percent of the 3,129 track miles used by commuter railroads and 22.8 percent of the 108 track miles used by other host railroads under the statute had adopted the technology.

 

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[CNJRoss]

RT&S 2/27/20
 

FRA Publishes Q4 2019 PTC Implementation Status Updates

 

 

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) today released a quarterly status update on railroads’ self-reported progress, as of December 31, 2019, toward fully implementing positive train control (PTC) systems as required by Congress. Based on Fourth Quarter 2019 PTC Progress Reports from the 42 railroads statutorily required to implement the technology, most are operating their systems in revenue service, or in advanced field testing, known as revenue service demonstration (RSD).

“The vast majority of railroads mandated to deploy and operate interoperable PTC systems have shown significant progress,” said FRA Administrator Ronald L. Batory. “I applaud freight and passenger railroads for their direct and sustained engagement with one another, vendors, suppliers, and FRA. I strongly urge those railroads that haven’t yet commenced RSD, conducted interoperability testing, or submitted PTC Safety Plans to intensify their efforts and take advantage of FRA’s technical assistance.” 

 

As of December 31, 2019, PTC systems were in RSD or in operation on 55,601 route miles — 96.3% of the nearly 58,000 route miles subject to the mandate. Specifically, at the end of 2019, PTC systems were governing operations on nearly all the Class I railroads’ and Amtrak’s mandated main lines, 98.7% and 99.8% respectively.  .  .  .

 

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Download FRA 02-20 4th Quarter 2019 PTC Implementation Status Updates 022720.pdf

[CNJRoss]

Progressive Railroading, 2/28/20

 

FRA: Eight railroads at risk of missing PTC deadline

 

 

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) yesterday released a fourth-quarter 2019 status report on railroads' progress in implementing positive train control (PTC) systems as required by Congress.

According to the FRA, the following eight host railroads are at risk of not fully implementing a PTC system on all federally mandated mainlines by the Dec. 31, 2020, deadline: Alaska Railroad Corp., the Belt Railway Co. of Chicago, Florida East Coast Railway (including its tenant railroad, Brightline/Virgin Trains USA), Kansas City Terminal Railway, New Jersey Transit, New Mexico Rail Runner Express, Metra and TEXRail.

 

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[CNJRoss]

RT&S 4/21/20

 

Traffic lull allows for more PTC work

 

COVID-19 was expected to delay PTC installation work, but that has proven not to be the case.

Amtrak

 

The reduced traffic on railroad and transit lines resulting from COVID-19 has allowed roads, particularly transit operations, to catch up on their installation and testing of positive train control (PTC) according to a report from Politico.

 

While railroads and transit agencies have been hit hard by the pandemic, with ridership on many transit agencies down between 90 percent and 99 percent, the significant number of canceled trains have opened up one thing that railroad maintenance-of-way departments cherish – open windows for work time.  .  .  .

 

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[CNJRoss]

Railway Age 5/15/20

 

FRA: PTC at 98%

 

 

 

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) first-quarter 2020 update on railroads’ self-reported progress on fully implementing Positive Train Control (PTC) by the Dec. 31, 2020 deadline shows that, as of March 31, 2020, the job is 98% complete. Nearly all railroads subject to the statutory mandate are operating their systems in revenue service or in advanced field testing, known as revenue service demonstration (RSD), with PTC technology remaining to be activated on only approximately 1,100 required route-miles.

 

As of March 31, 2020, PTC systems were in RSD or in operation on 56,541 of the nearly 58,000 route-miles subject to the mandate. Specifically, PTC systems were governing operations on all PTC-mandated main lines owned or controlled by Class I freight railroads and other freight host railroads subject to the mandate.

 

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[CNJRoss]

FRA press release

 

 

Federal Railroad Administration Publishes Railroads’ First Quarter 2020 Positive Train Control Implementation Status Updates

 

Friday, May 15, 2020

 

 

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) today released a quarterly status update on railroads’ self-reported progress, as of March 31, 2020, toward fully implementing positive train control (PTC) systems by December 31, 2020, as required by Congress. Based on railroads’ First Quarter 2020 PTC Progress Reports and current PTC Implementation Plans, nearly all railroads subject to the statutory mandate are operating their systems in revenue service or in advanced field testing, known as revenue service demonstration (RSD), with PTC technology remaining to be activated on only approximately 1,100 required route miles.

 

“We continue to work directly with all ‘to be complaint’ railroads — providing technical support and guidance as requested — to enable them to satisfactorily meet the Congressional deadline,” FRA Administrator Ronald L. Batory said. “I’m pleased with the growing number of railroads that have reached critical milestones, and continue to encourage all of them to help each other overcome any remaining challenges from their respective lessons learned.”

 

As of March 31, 2020, PTC systems were in RSD or in operation on 56,541 route miles — 98% of the nearly 58,000 route miles subject to the mandate. Specifically, at the end of the first quarter of 2020, PTC systems were governing operations on all PTC-mandated main lines owned or controlled by Class I freight railroads and other freight host railroads subject to the mandate.

 

While most commuter railroads’ PTC systems are in RSD on their entire mandated networks, work remains as 63.2% of all commuter railroads’ cumulative required route miles were PTC-governed as of March 31st, an 8.5% increase since last quarter. In addition, interoperability has reportedly been achieved in 48.5% of the 229 applicable, host-tenant railroad relationships as of March 31, 2020, a 10% increase since the fourth quarter of 2019.

Recognizing that 33 weeks remain until the final implementation deadline set forth by Congress, FRA continues to direct additional staff resources to railroads at risk of not fully implementing an FRA-certified and interoperable PTC system on their required main lines by December 31, 2020. To evaluate the risk of noncompliance, FRA is primarily considering the following factors: (1) the percentage of mandated route miles currently governed by a PTC system, including RSD; (2) any unresolved technical issue in implementing a compliant PTC system; (3) the percentage of a host railroad’s tenant railroads that have achieved required interoperability; and (4) a host railroad’s expected date to submit its PTC Safety Plan to FRA, necessary to obtain PTC System Certification.

 

Based on railroads’ self-reported progress on these factors as of March 31, 2020, FRA currently considers the following four host railroads at risk of not fully implementing a PTC system on all required main lines by December 31, 2020: New Jersey Transit, TEXRail, Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad Corporation (Metra), and New Mexico Rail Runner Express (Rio Metro).

 

“We strongly urge the collaborating railroads to work in a safe, focused and aggressive manner to meet this end-of-year deadline,” Batory said. “FRA has provided nearly $2.6 billion in grants and loans and thousands of hours of technical assistance to help railroads fully implement PTC systems.”

 

FRA remains fully committed to facilitating railroad efforts to complete all remaining work. In addition, FRA is encouraging state departments of transportation and governors to help any at-risk commuter railroad within their states to ensure they have sufficient technical resources and support to meet the end-of-year deadline.

 

To view detailed infographics depicting railroads’ progress toward fully implementing PTC systems as of March 31, 2020, please visit https://www.fra.dot.gov/ptc. To view the public version of each railroad’s Quarterly PTC Progress Report (Form FRA F 6180.165, OMB Control No. 2130-0553) for Quarter 1 of 2020, please visit https://railroads.do...rterly-reports.

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[CNJRoss]

NTSB Safety Compass, 7/31/20

 

 

Arriving Soon: Fully Implemented Positive Train Control

 

 

December 31, 2020—not only will it be the last day of an incredibly challenging year that I think we’ll all be happy to put behind us, it’s also a significant day for railroad safety. It’s the final deadline for all 41 railroads to fully implement Positive Train Control (PTC). It’s been a long journey to get to this point and I’m thrilled to see the great progress that’s been made over the years. There were times no one believed we’d get to where we are today, so how did we get here?

 

PTC is a communications-based system designed to automatically stop a train before certain accidents occur. It won’t prevent all train accidents, like vehicle-train accidents at grade crossings or those caused by track and equipment failures, but it is designed to prevent train-to-train collisions, overspeed derailments, incursions into established work zones, and train movement through switches left in the wrong position.

 

The concept of PTC isn’t new. In fact, the NTSB has been urging railroads to implement PTC in some form—and federal regulators to mandate it—for over 50 years. Our first recommendation related to PTC (Safety Recommendation R‑70‑20) was issued following a deadly train collision in Darien, Connecticut, in August 1969, when two Penn Central commuter trains collided head on, killing 3 crew members and 1 passenger, and injuring 43 others. Twenty years later, the NTSB included PTC on its first Most Wanted List of transportation safety improvements (MWL), and, with the exception of 4 years following enactment of the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (RSIA; Public Law 110-432, Division A), it’s remained on the list to this day.

 

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Today marks 154 days until the latest deadline for PTC implementation. That’s also the number of PTC-related accidents we’ve investigated over the years. For the rest of this year, stay tuned to our social media channels, where we’ll share information daily about each of the accidents (look for #PTCdeadline). These accidents are a reminder of how much we’ve lost while waiting for the implementation of PTC.

 

 

 

 

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Related:  PTC still 'Most Wanted' 50 Years after Darien, CT wreck