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The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) recently granted $4.5 million to the Railroad Research Foundation to continue developing and testing wireless communications devices and equipment for Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) systems.

A form of positive train control (PTC), CBTC systems are designed to automatically control train movements and speed if a locomotive engineer fails to take appropriate actions.

The foundation plans to use grant proceeds to help fund the design and construction of a universal onboard platform that could switch a locomotive between different PTC operating systems or connect to another train-control network.

Meanwhile, FRA parent the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has awarded $24.5 million in transportation research funds to 20 universities through the Research and Innovative Technology Administration. The colleges are USDOT-sponsored University Transportation Centers (UTCs).

The administration awarded $1.6 million each to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, City University of New York, Pennsylvania State University, University of Tennessee, Purdue University, Texas A&M University, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, North Dakota State University, University of California–Berkeley and University of Washington.

The USDOT also awarded $816,600 each to the Georgia Institute of Technology, Iowa State University, Rutgers University, San Jose State University, University of Florida, University of Idaho, University of Maryland–College Park, University of Michigan, University of South Florida, and a UTC sponsored jointly by the University of Southern California and California State University–Long Beach.