Positive Train Control (PTC) is a hot-button issue in the railroad industry, but many may not be aware of its deep history. Here is a brief overview of PTC and a few interesting facts about its development.
Did You Know? Positive Train Control
The Basics
- In short, PTC aims to prevent train collisions, speeding infractions and keep passengers and freight safe
- Congress mandated railroads implement PTC as part of the Rail Safety Improvement Act, which became law in October 2008
- The law initially mandated railroads install PTC on tracks that carry passengers or so-called toxic-by-inhalation (TIH) materials by the end of 2015
- An extension gave railroads until the end of 2018 to install PTC
When did Congress direct the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) to investigate and report on the use of and need for devices for the automatic control of railway trains?
Key Dates
Highlights
- In the Transportation Act of 1920, Congress authorized the ICC to mandate the installation of ATS or ATC devices
- The ICC in 1922 ordered the installation of these devices on 49 railroads on segments of track totaling about 5,000 miles
- Congress in 1937 enacted the Signal Inspection Act, which required railroads to obtain ICC permission for any modification to their signal systems
- In 1947, the ICC ordered any railroad operating at a speed of 80 mph or more to install ATS, ATC or cab signal systems
- In 1990, the NTSB placed automatic train control on its initial “Most Wanted List of Transportation Safety Improvements”
Current Status
By the Numbers
- Railroads have installed PTC on 45,933 miles out of nearly 57,848 required route miles
- In all, 41 railroads must meet the Congressionally mandated deadline for PTC implementation of Dec. 31, 2020
- Class I freight railroads spent $10.6 billion (as of Dec. 31, 2018) on deploying PTC systems on their networks, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR)
