MTA to establish PTC test lab with federal grant

Feb. 11, 2019
Metro-North says the test lab will improve the performance of PTC radio spectrum utilization required to make the technology operational on the Northeast Corridor.

Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Metro-North Railroad will use a $2.3 million federal grant to establish a PTC test lab that will help the railroad remedy issues surrounding the technology along the Northeast corridor. 

The grant was announced last December as part of the Federal Railroad Administration's (FRA) FY 18 appropriation for the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program. 

According to Metro-North, the test lab, comprised of a series of networked computer stations, will simulate how radio communications will operate and mitigate potential problems. Radio spectrum is used by all passenger railroads that operate in the Northeast corridor and so it’s essential to learn how all railroads can most effectively communicate with one another and avoid interference. 

“Safety is a core value of Metro-North, and this test lab will allow us to move ahead with full PTC implementation and ensure on-going service reliability. I congratulate our PTC team at Metro-North on this achievement, and we’ll continue to aggressively look for new and better ways to improve safety throughout the railroad,” said Catherine Rinaldi, Metro-North Railroad president.

U.S. Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY-1) said: “With this latest funding, Metro-North should have more than enough resources to once and for all complete PTC implementation.” 

U.S. Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY-18) added, "We need PTC up and running ASAP and this investment will help Metro-North and other railroads clear some of the remaining hurdles to get that done. I’m happy to do my part in Washington to make these funds available, and I appreciate the fact that Metro-North is taking implementation seriously and actively working to secure federal investments to get PTC online. It’s going to save people’s lives.”

All railroads where PTC is required needed to meet a series of criteria by Dec. 31, 2018, in order to qualified for an alternative schedule that puts the deadline for full implementation of the technology at Dec. 31, 2020. FRA said all railroads met those requirements by the end of last year. 

In 2015, MTA closed on a $967.1 million Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing (RRIF) loan to finance PTC installation on Metro-North and Long Island Rail Road. 

About the Author

Mischa Wanek-Libman | Editor in Chief

Mischa Wanek-Libman serves as editor in chief of Mass Transit magazine. She is responsible for developing and maintaining the magazine’s editorial direction and is based in the western suburbs of Chicago.

Wanek-Libman has spent more than 20 years covering transportation issues including construction projects and engineering challenges for various commuter railroads and transit agencies. She has been recognized for editorial excellence through her individual work, as well as for collaborative content. 

She is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association's Marketing and Communications Committee and serves as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.  

She is a graduate of Drake University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication with a major in magazine journalism and a minor in business management.