Positive Train Control (PTC) for railway safety in the United States: Policy developments and critical issues

Zhipeng Zhang, Xiang Liu and Keith Holt

Utilities Policy, 2018, vol. 51, issue C, 33-40

Abstract: Nationwide implementation of Positive Train Control (PTC) is underway in the United States. PTC is designed to prevent certain types of train accidents. This paper provides a review of the policy development, operational impact, cost-effectiveness, and critical issues associated with industry-wide PTC implementation. Challenges include interoperability, technological complexity, and limited implementation resources. Emerging critical issues include train operations at restricted speeds, railroad cyber-security risk, broken rail prevention in PTC territories, en route failure of PTC, grade-crossing protection, and opportunities for leveraging PTC-generated big data that require more research from academia, government, and industry.

Keywords: Positive Train Control; Railway; Critical issues (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:juipol:v:51:y:2018:i:c:p:33-40

DOI: 10.1016/j.jup.2018.03.002

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