UP says 26% of tracks are PTC ready

Roughly 18 percent of Union Pacific employees have been trained on positive train control operations, including engineers, conductors, dispatchers, maintenance of way engineering, mechanical, signal, telecom and information technology workers.    Union Pacific Corp. (UP) has fully installed positive train control (PTC) on 26 percent of its tracks, according to a recent PTC implementation update from the Class I freight railroad.
   In addition, UP has trained roughly 18 percent of its employees on PTC operations, including engineers, conductors, dispatchers, maintenance of way engineering, mechanical, signal, telecom and information technology workers.
   The Omaha, Neb.-based railroad said it has equipped 64 percent of required locomotives and 85 percent of required radio towers with PTC technology, adding that 12 percent of its required route miles are fully PTC operational.
   PTC is a wireless communication system that can override a conductor to slow or stop a train to prevent an accident. Congress mandated implementation of PTC in 2008 for all U.S. railroads by Dec. 31, 2015, but later extended the deadline to the end of 2018.
   Supporters of the system claim it will drastically improve railroad safety, but railways have complained that PTC, which relies on GPS, wireless radio and computers, is complicated and expensive to install. The deadline extension to 2018 included a provision under which railroads could petition the FRA for an extra two years to implement the intricate system.
   “Developing and implementing a PTC system is a multi-dimensional process requiring a cross-functional, systemwide approach,” the company said in a statement. “Union Pacific’s PTC system consists of multiple technologies functioning together to constantly monitor and manage train movements. These involve integrating signal and telecom elements; GPS; wayside, base station and locomotive radios; antennas and satellites – all to predict whether the train crew should be alerted to take action or if the technology should take control to slow or stop the train.”