ASLRRA signs Rockwell Collins to help short lines prep PTC documents

The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) has chosen Rockwell Collins to assist tenant short lines in creating safety documentation for positive train control (PTC).

The selection of Rockwell Collins is the next step in ASLRRA's plan to provide services to short lines equipping for PTC. Rockwell Collins will help smaller railroads create the documentation required to obtain permission to operate over a host's PTC territory, ASLRRA officials said in a press release.

The firm will develop template documents based on PTC host railroad requirements as well as applicable regulations, and provide webinar training for short line railroads on the use of the templates to develop required tenant safety documentation.

Although the effort does not replace direct communication between tenant and host railroads, it is expected to expedite completion of PTC implementations for both host and tenant railroads by assisting short lines in satisfying their host's safety documentation requirements, ASLRRA officials said.

Rockwell Collins is the "industry leader" in safety plan and related documentation, and the templates and outlines they develop specifically for short lines will save short lines money and time, said ASLRRA Chair Judy Petry.

"The implementation of PTC is one of the most complex and challenging projects to be mandated for the U.S. rail system, particularly for our short line members, who often do not have the technical staff and expertise, but have a complicated role to play, integrating with multiple Class I systems," said Petry, who is president and general manager of Farmrail System Inc.

Previously, ASLRRA has announced agreements to provide excess liability insurance, grant writing expertise and PTC back office functions to short lines.