UP's PTC work to continue into 2019-20

Union Pacific Railroad announced yesterday it will continue to "implement, test and refine" positive train control (PTC) technology in 2019-20.

The announcement was part of UP's regular quarterly updates of its PTC implementation progress.

From April 1 through Aug. 17, UP has:
• prepared additional track segments for PTC operations, bringing the total number to 180, or 99 percent complete;
• educated more than 25,690 additional employees on PTC operations, or 97 percent; and
• increased by about 1,020 the number of PTC route miles, bringing the total to 11,920, or 70 percent.

UP's "PTC footprint" is the largest of all North American railroads. It encompasses more than 17,000 route miles, roughly one-third of all U.S. PTC miles, UP officials said in a press release.

One of the most challenging aspects of PTC implementation is ensuring system interoperability among all U.S. rail lines and locomotives, UP officials noted.

The Federal Railroad Administration's (FRA) deadline for railroads to meet the federal mandate of PTC implementation is Dec. 31. Railroads that meet certain criteria may qualify for a two-year extension.

The FRA recently posted the railroads' second-quarter 2018 PTC progress reports. The agency also announced grants awarded to help railroads pay for their PTC projects.