Draft Cover Letter to Railroads Concerning PTC Implementation Status Update Questionnaire

Name

Title

Company

Address 1

Address 2

Dear [Name of COO]:

As you are aware, the statutory deadline for Positive Train Control (PTC) system implementation is approaching. Congress and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) need this information to help railroads come into compliance as quickly, efficiently and safely as possible. PTC is the single-most important safety development in a century. It prevents accidents and saves lives. This information is critical to achieve our shared goal of a safer rail system.

So Congress and FRA may better understand the status of each railroad’s implementation efforts, FRA is seeking information, with periodic updates, under its investigative authority pursuant to 49 U.S.C. §§ 20103, 20107, and 20902, and 49 C.F.R. § 236.1009(h). In addition, FRA has received approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to collect the requested information. Railroads’ responses to this information collection will help inform FRA of the current PTC implementation status across all affected railroads and identify issues causing delay towards full PTC implementation. FRA is seeking the most current information irrespective of the content in the railroad’s currently approved PTC Implementation Plan. Furthermore, FRA understands that information may change over the course of PTC implementation. FRA will use the information railroads submit to monitor PTC implementation nationwide.

Based on this letter, your railroad is instructed to submit answers to all of the survey questions at this website: https://rrsp.fra.dot.gov/ptcis/. No request for information may go unanswered. The survey will also include an opportunity for each railroad to submit comments to provide context and explanations to the responses submitted.

Your railroad’s initial submission must be made by August 14, 2015 and reflect your railroad’s implementation status as of August 7, 2015. After your railroad’s initial submission in August, your railroad must update its responses on a monthly basis until FRA determines otherwise. Each update shall reflect your railroad’s PTC implementation status as of the 8^th of that month and shall be submitted to FRA by the 15^th of that month. If the response date falls on a weekend, your railroad’s response must be made on the next business day.

To ensure each railroad’s data is secure (i.e., so that only FRA and each railroad’s registered user may access the data), prior to completing the survey your railroad must first establish an account at this website: https://safetydata.fra.dot.gov/SPAccountRequests/default.aspx?app=ptc. Once your account is created you may submit your answers to the survey.

If you have additional questions, please contact Mr. Devin Rouse, Mechanical Engineer, Passenger Rail Division, at (202) 493-6185 or [email protected].

Sincerely,

Robert C. Lauby, P.E.

Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety & Chief Safety Officer

Federal Railroad Administration

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