The Federal Railroad Administration (“FRA”) has released its latest Positive Train Control (“PTC”) implementation progress report for the 2nd quarter of 2018. The FRA’s latest report indicates that railroads are making steady progress toward PTC compliance.

FRA says that 15 railroads have installed 100% and 12 railroads have installed between 95 and 99% of the mandated PTC system hardware. In addition, all but one railroad has acquired sufficient spectrum required for PTC Implementation.

FRA states that railroad implementation of PTC has improved since December 2016, “where freight railroads had PTC active on just 16 percent of required tracks, while passenger railroads were at 24 percent[1].” FRA did note, however, that nine railroads are “at-risk.” FRA labels these railroads as at-risk because they have installed less than 90% of their PTC system hardware as of the reporting date. FRA further cautions that installation of all PTC hardware is only an initial phase of PTC implementation and would not merit consideration for an extension to the pending deadline.

Click here to read the original May 16, 2018 post.

[1]Press Release, FRA Publishes Railroads’ Quarter 2 PTC Data (Aug 23, 2018) available at https://railroads.dot.gov/newsroom/fra-publishes-railroads-quarter-2-ptc-data.