Virginia Railway Express (VRE) recently announced it is fully positive train control (PTC) compliant.
VRE, a transportation partnership between the Northern Virginia and the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation commissions, became fully compliant last week. VRE’s 32 inbound and outbound trains on the Fredericksburg and Manassas lines are under PTC operation.
VRE is the 12th largest commuter rail service in the United States.
“Safety is always our top priority at VRE,” VRE CEO Doug Allen said. “The implementation of PTC takes system safety to the next level and continues our commitment to providing the safest environment for riders, railroad workers and the general public.”
PTC implementation was federally mandated. The technology automatically controls train speeds and movements if the engineer does not make a safe decision. Nationwide, implementation is expected to cost the railroad industry $14 billion and cost 10 to 20 percent of annual capital costs to maintain.
The deadline for implementation was Dec. 31, 2018, but VRE filed for an extension with the Federal Railroad Administration.
VRE operates 20 locomotives and 21 cab control cars. Implementation cost the company $15 million.
VRE worked closely with its host railroads, CSX and Norfolk Southern, to install compatible equipment on the 90 miles of track VRE operates on and throughout the railroads’ systems.