Slow progress on Positive Train Control implementation remains intact, reports FRA

Earlier this month, the Federal Railroad Administration released data for fourth quarter Positive Train Control (PTC) implementation.

And as was the case in the third quarter, progress was made, albeit at a still fairly low clip, with FRA data indicating that freight railroads now have PTC active on 16 percent of their tracks, which is up from 12 percent in the third quarter, and 9 percent in the second quarter. Passenger railroads saw PTC inch up from 23 percent in the third quarter to 24 percent in the fourth quarter.  FRA added that 41 percent of passenger railroads’ locomotives are now fully equipped with PTC technology, up from 29 percent in the thirds quarter, while freight railroads’ locomotives are up to 42 percent from 38 percent in the third quarter.

“We continue to closely monitor railroads’ progress implementing Positive Train Control,” said Patrick Warren, FRA Executive Director, in a statement. “With less than two years remaining to complete the implementation process, it is imperative that railroads continue to meet implementation milestones.”

Railroads are required by law to have PTC installed by December 31, 2018, which is past the original deadline of December 31, 2015, which the Association of American Railroads said was arbitrary and unworkable and riddled with technical and legal complexities, as well as railroads and freight rail shippers stressing there would be serious consequences for the nation if the deadline was​​ not extended.

The objective of PTC systems is to prevent train-to-train collisions, overspeed derailments, and incursions into roadway work limits. PTC sends and receives a continuous stream of data transmitted by wireless signals about the location, speed, and direction of trains, according to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). PTC systems, added the FRA, utilize advanced technologies including digital radio links, global positioning systems and wayside computer control systems that aid dispatchers and train crews in safely managing train movements.

A mandate for PTC systems was included in House and Senate legislation- The Rail Safety and Improvement Act of 2008. The legislation was passed after a September 12, 2008 collision between a freight train and a commuter train in Los Angeles. PTC has received renewed attention, following a tragic Amrtak accident in the Philadelphia area in 2015. As per the mandate, the December 31, 2015 deadline required freight railroads to install Positive Train Control (PTC) technology on 40 percent of its network.

Based on FRA data, the pace of implementation for PTC among Class I railroads remains a work in progress based on various metrics, including: locomotives equipped, track segments completed, radio towers installed, training completed, route miles in PTC operation; PTC safety plan; and spectrum.

In that same order below is FRA’s PTC update for Class I railroads:

• BNSF, 89 percent of locomotives equipped, 51 percent of track segments completed, 92 percent of radio towers installed; 79 percent of employee training completed; 56 percent of route miles in PTC operation; PTC safety plan is conditionally certified; and spectrum is available;
• Canadian National, 34 percent of locomotives equipped, 8 percent of track segments completed, 69 percent of radio towers installed; 73 percent of employee training completed; 0 percent of route miles in PTC operation; PTC safety plan is not submitted; and spectrum is available;
• Canadian Pacific, 29 percent of locomotives equipped, 4 percent of track segments completed, 75 percent of radio towers installed; 40 percent of employee training completed; 0 percent of route miles in PTC operation; PTC safety plan is submitted; and spectrum is available;
• CSX, 46 percent of locomotives equipped, 22 percent of track segments completed, 47 percent of radio towers installed; 96 percent of employee training completed; 28 percent of route miles in PTC operation; PTC safety plan is conditionally certified; and spectrum is available;
• Kansas City Southern, 13 percent of locomotives equipped, 24 percent of track segments completed, 76 percent of radio towers installed; 26 percent of employee training completed; 0 percent of route miles in PTC operation; PTC safety plan is not submitted; and spectrum is available;
• Norfolk Southern, 45 percent of locomotives equipped, 17 percent of track segments completed, 75 percent of radio towers installed; 48 percent of employee training completed; 0 percent of route miles in PTC operation; PTC safety plan is submitted; and spectrum is available; and
• Union Pacific, 2 percent of locomotives equipped, 26 percent of track segments completed, 85 percent of radio towers installed; 18 percent of employee training completed; 0 percent of route miles in PTC operation; PTC safety plan is submitted; and spectrum is available

“The good news with this report is that some of the railroads, particularly Western railroads, seem to be making significant progress in implementing PTC,” said Robert Lauby, Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety and Chief Safety Officer for the FRA at the RailTrends conference hosted by Progressive Railroad magazine and independent rail analyst Tony Hatch late last year. “The bad news is that some of the other railroads apart from Amtrak and SEPTA are not making as much progress. We have come a long way with PTC since it became the law of the land in 2008 but we have a long ways to go with two short years until we hit the extended deadline of December 31, 2018. It’s right around the corner and an awful lot of work that has to be done.”

With a new President, Lauby said that the FRA does not expect its focus on PTC to change, and he expects things to go full speed ahead, because without PTC there are certain situations where a local engineer has to execute everything perfectly every second and hour of every day and cannot have a medical issue, doze off or be distracted, as even the smallest mistake can mean disaster.