Month: October 2024

PTC Overview
FRA

FRA Proposes Positive Train Control Amendment

October 25, 2024 Railfanning.org News Wire

The Federal Railroad Administration published a notice of proposed rulemaking proposing to amend certain positive train control systems regulations. The feds said the proposed rule seeks to improve the efficiency and safety of railroad operations by standardizing regulations concerning railroad operations when PTC systems are not enabled. This can occur due to a PTC outage or when PTC systems are temporarily disabled to facilitate maintenance, repairs or upgrades. Under the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008, Congress mandated the implementation of PTC systems on Class I railroad main lines that carry high levels of freight traffic and certain hazardous materials,

Commuter Rail

NJ Transit Starts Seasonal Use of AquaTrack to Clean Tracks

October 24, 2024 Railfanning.org News Wire

NJ Transit has started its seasonal use of two AquaTrack machines to clean and remove leaves from the rails. The AquaTrack system, which NJ Transit has used since October 2003, is a high-pressure power washing system that removes the oily residue left behind by fallen leaves on the tracks to prevent train delays caused by “slippery rail” conditions. Fallen leaves left on rail tracks can cause a condition known as “slippery rail,” a challenge facing all railroads in the Northeast and other parts of the world where deciduous trees are prevalent. The decaying leaves create an oily residue that coats

World

Rail Accident Investigation Branch Makes Four Recommendations Following November 2023 Collision Probe

October 24, 2024 Railfanning.org News Wire

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch made four recommendations following the November 2023 collision between on-track machines near Strood, Kent. The first three are addressed to Network Rail High Speed, and the fourth to HS1 Ltd. The first recommendation aims to control the risks of operating engineering vehicles on the High Speed 1 line, while the second aims to keep staff working on the line safe by implementing a robust procedural framework. The third recommendation is that Network Rail High Speed ensure that internal recommendations and local actions are reviewed and implemented to reflect their intent and can be tracked and