Union Pacific Railroad has completed its implementation of positive train control (PTC) on all of its federally mandated rail lines, including passenger train routes.
The company will continue to work with partners railroads on interoperability to ensure operation onto its track.
"While Union Pacific began its first PTC operations nearly four years ago, we have now completed our initial implementation and continue supporting other railroads in our mutual efforts to achieve interoperability and safely operate on our rail lines," said Greg Richardson, UP general director operating systems and practices.
Union Pacific current hosts 25 freight and passenger railroads that must achieve PTC interoperability by Dec. 31, 2020. PTC is designed to prevent four types of incidents: train-to-train collisions; derailments caused by excessive speed; accidents that can occur if trains are routed down an incorrect track; and unauthorized train movement on track undergoing maintenance. At the time of this publication, 16 of those railroads are compliant.
The company is continuing to work with its remaining partner railroads to take the necessary steps to reach interoperability by mid-2020.
