FRA: Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

Positive Train Control System

The Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is planning on adjusting several regulations which govern positive train control systems. On October 28, 2024, the FRA published its notice of proposed rulemaking in the federal register. It is giving interested parties 60 days or until December 27, 2024, to respond with comments.

The FRA’s reasoning behind this change is that it found:

 “…existing PTC regulations do not adequately address temporary situations during which PTC technology is not enabled, including after certain initialization failures or in cases where a PTC system needs to be temporarily disabled to facilitate repair, maintenance, infrastructure upgrades, or capital projects.”

The FRA believes this change will establish strict parameters which make the process clear and uniform. In its NPRM the FRA establishes three specific scenarios when PTC technology is temporarily not governing rail operations:

1. When non-revenue passenger equipment needs to operate to a maintenance facility or yard, for the sole purpose of repairing or exchanging PTC technology;

• When a PTC system needs to be temporarily disabled to facilitate repair, maintenance, an infrastructure upgrade, or a capital project; and

• When a system-level or widescale problem occurs resulting in multiple trains’ PTC systems failing to initialize.

So, if you believe you may have insight for the FRA, make sure to submit your comments to them before December 27, 2024. For a complete look at the proposed rule and all it entails, you can click HERE NOW!

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