Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced $6 million for engineering work on a Positive Train Control (PTC) system for Metro-North’s New Haven commuter rail line in Connecticut. PTC systems are automated safety backups that monitor a train’s speed and ensure it slows down or stops as required along its route.
“This is another sign of our significant commitment for enhancing rail travel in Connecticut,” Governor Rell said. “We are doing all we can to encourage people to get out of their cars and aboard Connecticut’s commuter trains, so it is logical to make improvements like these that add to the protections we already have in place.”
The funding will pay for the preliminary engineering work necessary for a PTC system. The federal government has mandated that these systems be in widespread use by 2015. Connecticut’s Department of Transportation and Metro-North anticipate using a system similar to the one already in place on Amtrak trains.
PTC systems use radio signals sent from locomotives or control cabs to rail-side transponders that check speeds at places like switches, train stations, curves, work areas and other locations where trains may need to slow down or stop. The transponders signal the train to change speed and can “enforce” the order if it is not followed, making the system another layer of safety in case the engineer is disabled.
“Connecticut has made tremendous strides in updating our transportation system – and nowhere is that more true than in our commuter rail network,” the Governor said. “New cars are coming to the New Haven Line, track improvements are being made on all three of the Metro-North branches in the state, Shore Line East service has been expanded and we are commencing work on a new New Haven-Hartford-Springfield, Massachusetts line. We have truly put a new face on passenger rail in our state.”
