SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCE $3 MILLION IN FUNDING FOR POSITIVE TRAIN CONTROL, RAIL SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS
Funding Advances Infrastructure Projects in Hudson Valley and North Country
U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $3 million in federal funding for New York through the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for the Intercity Passenger Rail Grade Crossing Improvements, Positive Train Control Implementation, and Passenger Rail Corridor Investment Plan Grant Program. Specifically, these federal funds will advance safety precautions on railways and provide engineering assistance to implement the Positive Train Control (PTC) system on the Hudson Line from Poughkeepsie to Hoffmann's, NY and from west of Schenectady for the Empire and Adirondack Corridors. PTC is used to monitor train speeds and prevent collisions and derailments by controlling train movements through a system of integrated command, control, communications, and information technologies.
“This federal funding is critical to helping advance Positive Train Control throughout New York. Positive Train Control, when fully implemented, can help prevent fatal crashes, like the one that occurred at Spuyten Duyvil,” said Senator Schumer. “This federal funding is good news for New York and for the residents and visitors who travel on the Hudson, Empire and Adirondack lines every day, and I will continue fighting to ensure this kind of life-saving technology is implemented everywhere.”
"This federal funding will help implement positive train control, grade crossing improvements and other critical rail safety updates," said Senator Gillibrand. "I will continue to fight to make sure New York has access to the resources necessary ensure that commuters and communities around the tracks are safe.”
This project will benefit the overall implementation of Positive Train Control nationwide because it provides the opportunity to work with two Class 1 freight railroads on developing the system architecture and layout to transition from ACSES to 1-ETMS and accomplishes this work in a manner where this emerging technology can move quickly into deployment.
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