Rail Industry Should Commit to PTC Implementation says US Transport Board

The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) chairman Mark Rosenkor has said that the entire US rail industry should commit to the implementation of Positive Train Control (PTC).

This comes after the Metrolink/Union Pacific Railroad collision in California last month, which killed 25 people and injured many more, was blamed on driver error.

PTC is highly regarded as an emerging technology, which can improve safety by providing safety redundancy to override human errors and prevent train collisions and over-speed derailments.

The NTSB has recommended that PTC be installed in high-risk corridors, such as those where commuter and intercity passenger trains operate.

Acting chairman Mark Rosenkor said that it was time for the entire industry to commit to positive safety systems.

"The industry must now agree on a format that allows interoperability between systems so that trains can seamlessly move from one railroad to another," he said.

In addition to PTC, Rosenker identified electronically controlled pneumatic brakes; acoustic bearing, wheel impact and truck performance detectors; and intelligent transportation systems as other promising, safety-enhancing technologies.

By Daniel Garrun