Union Pacific fully implements positive train control

“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’s general director for operating systems and practices. 

UP defined PTC, a safety technology, as being able to prevent four types of incidents: train-to-train collisions; derailments caused by excessive speed; accidents that occur if a train is routed down incorrect track; and unauthorized train movements occurring on track undergoing maintenance. PTC doesn’t prevent incidents involving pedestrians or vehicles.

The technology monitors trains by analyzing several factors, including weight, location, speed and a five-mile look down the track, UP said. Locomotive engineers can respond to the information that the technology provides by taking actions such as slowing down. PTC can also automatically stop a train if a locomotive engineer doesn’t respond accordingly.