FRA updates railroads' PTC implementation status

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) today released a status update on positive train control (PTC) implementation, and highlighted the agency's repeated calls for Congress to provide more funding to assist commuter railroads in their PTC efforts.

The status update includes railroad-by-railroad quarterly data as of June 30 on track segments completed, employees trained, radio towers installed, route miles in PTC operation and other implementation data.

In March, FRA announced that it intended to require railroads to submit quarterly reports to FRA on their progress toward completing PTC implementation.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and FRA Administrator Sarah Feinberg called on railroads to implement PTC as quickly as possible.

"The official deadline for positive train control may be years away, but the urgency for railroads to activate it is now," Feinberg said in a press release. "FRA will continue to push railroads to stay focused on implementation and urge Congress to fund this life-saving technology."

Earlier this week, the FRA awarded nearly $25 million in grants to help railroads complete PTC implementation.