Thursday, June 23, 2005 (Washington, DC) A technology designed to prevent train collisions and other types of rail accidents moves another step forward today thanks to a $6.4 million grant from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA).

The grant to the Railroad Research Foundation in Washington, DC will help fund the completion of field testing of a Positive Train Control (PTC) system. PTC technology improves rail safety by automatically keeping trains within track speed limits, helping to identify trains and other obstructions on the track ahead, and bringing a train to a stop if the engineer fails to take corrective action when warned of a safety hazard.

“PTC technology promises fewer train accidents and increased safety for the communities where railroads operate,” said FRA Administrator Joseph H. Boardman. “PTC systems can play a critical role in achieving a safer and more efficient national railroad network.”

The field testing consists of a full scale operation on a 120 mile segment of track between Springfield, IL and St. Louis, MO involving both a freight and passenger train to verify the proper and complete transmission of electronic data between equipment on board the locomotives, along the tracks, and from the dispatch center to safely and automatically control the movement of the trains.

Boardman noted the future capabilities of PTC systems, which can potentially make highway-rail grade crossings safer by giving motorists in-vehicle advance warning of the approach of a train. Additionally, PTC may increase railroad efficiency by safely increasing the capacity of high-density rail lines.