December 16, 2020
Amtrak OIG: Ensure PTC Reliability Written by Marybeth Luczak, Executive Editor
Amtrak s PTC systems are expected to be interoperable with its host and tenant railroads by year’s end, but the Amtrak OIG says Amtrak can take steps to better ensure its systems are reliable.
The Amtrak Office of Inspector General (OIG) has recommended in a new report that Amtrak should “better measure” PTC (Positive Train Control) system reliability. It also noted that Amtrak faces two risks that may diminish the safety benefits of PTC.
OIG assessed the operations of Amtrak’s systems for which implementation was completed in August and their interoperability with Amtrak’s host and tenant railroads, including New Jersey Transit. Interoperability is expected by the Dec. 31, 2020 deadline.
Amtrak OIG: positive train control will be interoperable but could better measure system reliability.
Amtrak
Amtrak has installed Positive Train Control technology on the tracks it owns and expects its systems to be interoperable with host and tenant railroads by year’s end, but it can take steps to better ensure its systems are reliable, according to an Amtrak Office of Inspector General report released today.
PTC is a safety technology that automatically applies a train’s brakes to slow or stop it to prevent collisions, derailments, or other accidents resulting from unsafe conditions. Amtrak and other railroads are required by law to have PTC implemented by December 31, 2020. According to the report, the company has invested hundreds of millions of dollars to install and operate its three PTC systems, including about $370 million from fiscal years 2008 through 2020.