The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is moving forward with developing new rules that prescribe how railroads should implement Positive Train Control (PTC) systems to prevent train-to-train collisions, announced FRA Acting Administrator Clifford C. Eby.

“We are acting quickly and without delay because railroads will need guidance on how to create plans to deploy PTC systems by the end of 2015,” Eby said, noting the first deadline mandated by Congress in a new rail safety law is April 2010, when major freight railroads and intercity and commuter rail operators must submit their PTC implementation plans to FRA for approval.

Eby stated that developing the new rules is a necessary first step to specify how the technically complex PTC systems must function and describe how FRA will assess a railroad’s PTC implementation plan before it can become operational.

He added FRA is already working with its Railroad Safety Advisory Committee to identify key issues and will release a recommendations report by next April.