A vehicle tracking system (VTS) was installed and deployed at the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA’s) Transportation Technology Center (TTC) in November 2002. The fundamental goal of this program was to enhance the already high level of safety for TTC personnel in a spread out field test environment and allow for a higher level of asset monitoring and management by providing near real-time vehicle location determination. This system leverages several enabling technologies for Positive Train Control (PTC) systems that are now available off-the-shelf, such as: (1) The U. S. Department of Defense Global Positioning System (GPS); (2) The USDOT differential augmentation to GPS, known as Nationwide GPS (NDGPS); (3) Digital radio frequency communications for transmission of mobile vehicle situation data; (4) Wireless local area network communications for high-speed transmission of mapping data. The tracking system, which has been operational since November 2002, is installed on 17 vehicles, including four locomotives. There are also five spare units that may be used to equip mutual aid responders during emergencies. The system is flexible enough for future expansion.
The Alaska Railroad (ARRC) is developing a program to design, develop, and implement a communication-based vital positive train control (PTC) system c...
In August 2001, the Federal Railroad Administration issued the notice of proposed rulemaking: Standards for Development and Use of Processor-Based Sig...
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