Commentary

“Civil War-era” technology? You’re joking, right?

I’ve heard some pretty disingenuous (that’s a polite word for “dopey”) things said about railroads in my nearly 25 years at Railway Age. Nearly all of them have come from uninformed generalist reporters who are mostly clueless about what we do, how we do it, and the technology we employ—and that they don’t take the time to understand.

Commentary

Maybe, maybe not

All you need to know about FRA’s NPRM, Train Crew Staffing, can be found by clicking HERE. Or maybe by reading below. Your call.

GAO report confirms need for PTC deadline extension

A new report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) finds that most U.S. railroads will not be able to implement Positive Train Control (PTC) technology by the current Dec. 31, 2015 deadline, and that legislation extending the deadline is necessary.

Commentary

If only . . . but wait . . .

I’ve been in France. I love being in France, a country that in the past 20 years has spent twice on its railways what it has spent on its roads. What am I missing? Another fatal overspeed derailment? At Frankford Junction?

Commentary

Uncertainty clouds key rail bills in Senate

Two bills of substantial importance to railroads—Staggers Rail Act revisions as part of reauthorization of the Surface Transportation Board (STB), and extension of the deadline to implement Positive Train Control (PTC)—took meaningful steps forward March 25, gaining the imprimatur of the Senate Commerce Committee.

PTC relief on the way?

The U.S. railroad industry has been scrambling since 2008 to meet the requirements of an unfunded federal government mandate—namely, having Positive Train Control installed and fully operational by Dec. 31, 2015 on 60,000 miles of track where hazmat and passenger trains operate. Parallel to the PTC initiative has been a battle waged on Capitol Hill to extend the end-of-the-year deadline. That effort may be paying off, and the railroads may one day be grateful that they have a Thune on their side.

Foxx talks tough on PTC

Testifying before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Feb. 11, 2015, U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said the DOT is “continuing to hold the industry’s feet to the fire in getting Positive Train Control done as quickly as possible,’’ instead of granting “a blanket extension” on the Congressionally imposed Dec. 31, 2015 deadline.

FRA green-lights CBOSS PTC

The Federal Railroad Administration has given Caltrain the green light to proceed with the installation and testing of its CBOSS (Caltrain Communications Based Overlay Signal System) Positive Train Control (PTC) technology. Parsons is leading the design, procurement, and installation of the system for Caltrain.

Siemens Rail Automation expands in Pennsylvania

Siemens Rail Automation announced on August 8, 2014 that it will combine and expand its manufacturing and engineering operations at a new facility in the Pittsburgh area “to help meet growing demand for its rail automation technologies.”

C&S: The new frontier is here

Congress and the FRA perceive PTC primarily as a safety measure to counteract human error and prevent accidents. But rail industry suppliers seek to make PTC, and CBTC too, something with far greater utility than that, as railways scramble to adopt this new technology.

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