Positive Train Control (PTC): Overview and Policy Issues (CRS Report for Congress)
Premium Purchase PDF for $24.95 (20 pages)
add to cart or
subscribe for unlimited access
Pro Premium subscribers have free access to our full library of CRS reports.
Subscribe today, or
request a demo to learn more.
| Release Date |
Revised Sept. 4, 2018 |
| Report Number |
R42637 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
John Frittelli, Specialist in Transportation Policy |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
| Older Revisions |
-
Premium Revised Feb. 6, 2018 (20 pages, $24.95)
add
-
Premium Revised May 26, 2016 (20 pages, $24.95)
add
-
Premium Revised Feb. 2, 2015 (22 pages, $24.95)
add
-
Premium Revised Dec. 9, 2013 (19 pages, $24.95)
add
-
Premium Revised April 5, 2013 (20 pages, $24.95)
add
-
Premium Revised Aug. 20, 2012 (20 pages, $24.95)
add
-
Premium July 30, 2012 (20 pages, $24.95)
add
|
Summary:
The Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (RSIA08) requires implementation of positive train control (PTC) on railroads which carry passengers or have high-volume freight traffic with toxic- or poisonous-by-inhalation hazardous materials. PTC is a communications and signaling system that has been identified by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) as a technology capable of preventing incidents caused by train operator or dispatcher error. PTC is expected to reduce the number of incidents due to excessive speed, conflicting train movements, and engineer failure to obey wayside signals. It would not prevent incidents due to trespassing on railroads’ right-of-way or at highway-rail grade crossings, where the vast majority of rail-related fatalities occur.
Under RSIA08, PTC is required on about 60,000 miles of railroad track. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) estimates full PTC implementation will cost approximately $14 billion. Although the larger freight railroads are well along in planning for PTC, some smaller railroads and commuter lines have more difficulty funding implementation. Federal funding provided thus far includes about $1.2 billion in loans and grants, mostly for commuter lines. After freight and commuter railroads raised concerns about their ability to meet the December 31, 2015, deadline in RSIA08, Congress extended the deadline by three years to December 31, 2018, or up to two years beyond that for certain qualifying railroads (P.L. 114-73).
PTC uses signals and sensors along the track to communicate train location, speed restrictions, and moving authority. If the locomotive is violating a speed restriction or moving authority, on-board equipment will automatically slow or stop the train. A more expansive version of PTC, called communications-based train control (CBTC), would bring additional safety benefits plus business benefits for railroad operators, such as increased capacity and reduced fuel consumption. However, CBTC is not currently being installed by any U.S. railroad, due to the additional cost and the challenge of meeting implementation deadlines.
In addition to funding requests, Congress may be confronted with issues related to interoperability, radio spectrum, and barriers to market entry as railroads work toward implementing PTC.
