The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) provided its quarterly status update on railroads’ progress in fully implementing positive train control (PTC) systems. Based on railroads’ Second Quarter 2019 PTC Progress Reports, the 42 railroads subject to the statutory PTC mandate are making steady progress.
“FRA is determined to help all affected railroads successfully satisfy the statutory deadline for full PTC system installation, testing, certification, and ultimately, initiate operations governed by PTC on all required territories,” said FRA Administrator Ronald L. Batory. “FRA is currently directing its focus and resources on the technical challenges facing the railroads, including commencing revenue service demonstration, interoperability testing, and safety plans.”
Ad Loading...
As of June 30, PTC systems were in operation on approximately 50,300 (87%) of the nearly 58,000 route miles required to be equipped by Congress, reflecting a 4% increase since Quarter 1 of 2019. However, 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.
Specifically, host commuter railroads report that as of June 2019, they were operating their PTC systems in revenue service demonstration (RSD), a type of required advanced field testing, on approximately 698 route miles and in revenue service on 443 route miles, which, in total, is 37% of the host commuter railroads’ 3,111 required route miles and a 12% increase since Quarter 1 of 2019.
Class I freight railroads report that PTC systems are in operation on approximately 91% of their required main lines as of June 2019 — representing a 4% increase since Quarter 1. As a host railroad, Amtrak reports that approximately 899 of Amtrak’s 901 (99.8%) required route miles are governed by a PTC system. In addition, Amtrak informed FRA that its operations are currently governed by a PTC system on at least 16,032 of the 19,119 route miles (84%) where Amtrak operates as a tenant railroad on other railroads’ PTC-equipped main lines.
To view the public version of each railroad’s Quarterly PTC Progress Report for Quarter 2 of 2019, click here.
Today’s riders—and the communities you serve—expect more from public transit. While ADA compliance is required, leading transit agencies know that true accessibility also means delivering dignity, efficiency, and a better rider experience. This whitepaper reveals why forward thinking agencies nationwide choose the Low Floor Frontrunner as their first choice for ADA compliant vehicles—setting a new standard with passenger first design, faster boarding, improved safety, and unmatched operational performance.
Fred Ferguson, president and CEO of the American Bus Association (ABA), discussed how the industry prepares for emergencies, the growing recognition of motorcoaches as critical infrastructure, and steps operators can take to strengthen disaster readiness.
The approved contract modification will increase funding for transit security officer services to a total not-to-exceed amount of $32.1 million, ensuring a continued and visible security presence across DART’s buses, trains, stations, and facilities.
The Siemens CBTC System, Trainguard MT, in compliance with New York Subway Interoperability Interface Specifications, enables trains to run as close as 90 seconds apart, using next-generation signaling and continuous communication to keep operations moving seamlessly.
According to the new quarterly data, there were double-digit reductions in five of the eight serious crime categories, including aggravated assaults and robberies.
The project, finalized on February 12, provides the city with two different configurations of high-definition cameras to outfit 16 buses in the Pretzel City Area Transit fleet.
The funds will specifically reconstruct the portion of the pier used by PSTA’s Clearwater Ferry, creating a permanent dock for the ferry service, which serves as an important transportation and tourism link to other Pinellas County communities.
