The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) has updated its analysis on the commuter rail industry’s progress on implementing positive train control (PTC) and has reported it is on schedule to meet the congressional deadlines.
“The commuter rail industry has made great strides in implementing positive train control (PTC),” said Richard A. White, APTA acting president and CEO. “This progress on this complex safety technology demonstrates our ongoing commitment to our number one priority of safety.”
The APTA’s analysis has found the following results:
- 22 percent of the 3,150 route miles are either in service or in full PTC demonstration awaiting Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) approvals;
- 27 percent of the 3,400 locomotives and cab cars are installed with PTC hardware;
- 40 percent of the 35 back office control systems are ready for operation;
- 70 percent of spectrum has been acquired and 50 percent of the 1,000 radio towers have been erected;
- 22 percent of the 13,000 employees have been trained in PTC; and
- 9 percent of commuter rail agencies are expected to be 100 percent PTC equipped by the end of 2016.
According to the APTA, the delivery of PTC is highly complex, requiring the development of safety critical software; installations on 3,150 miles of track; 3,400 locomotives; 1,000 radio towers; and training more than 13,000 employees. It also showed that given the priority of PTC, there remains significant investment backlog for State of Good Repair (SOGR) and expansion projects, including upgrades and replacement to track, bridges, rolling stock and facilities.
“The installation of PTC is a heavy lift for the commuter rail industry,” continued White. “From a technical standpoint, PTC was not a mature technology when Congress mandated it in the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008. A number of challenges had to be addressed, not just from the technology aspect, but in costs, scarce qualified resources, and adequate access to track and locomotives for installation and testing.”
Funding remains a critical concern for the commuter rail agencies according to the APTA, all of which are publicly funded. Currently, $75 million has been awarded to commuter rail agencies through federal grants designated for PTC implementation and $199 million was authorized by Congress but has yet to be appropriated.
“It is urgent that Congress appropriate additional dollars so that the commuter rail industry has the resources to continue their aggressive actions to meet this congressional deadline,” added White.
The APTA analysis was based on surveying APTA members and assessing the quarterly reports submitted to the FRA.