PTC: A merger of technology and human ingenuity at NS and across the industry

Norfolk Southern is on track with its PTC Implementation Plan to meet the 2018 and 2020 goals. PTC, or Positive Train Control, is technology designed to prevent train-to-train collisions, derailments caused by excessive speed, unauthorized incursions by trains into sections of track where repairs are being made, and movements of a train through an improperly aligned track switch.
The U.S. Congress has required that railroads install PTC on tracks that carry passenger trains or toxic-by-inhalation materials. NS is implementing PTC along approximately 8,000 track miles at a projected cost of around $1.8 billion. The installation of PTC capability involves work on thousands of locomotives; a large new wireless communications network; and thousands of trackside devices connected to signals, switches, and other wayside devices.
Here is an update on Norfolk Southern's progress at the close of 2016:
The NS Engineering team has installed:
•2,758 radio towers
•2,976 wayside interface units
•68 switch position monitors
•2,685 wayside radios
•321 base station radios
The NS Mechanical team has installed and readied:
•2,108 locomotives with onboard computers
•2,178 locomotives with PTC displays
•1,468 locomotives with PTC-capable event recorders
•1,304 locomotives with PTC-220 radios
•More than 1,300 locomotives are fully-equipped and PTC-operable.
•NS is operating PTC trains in revenue service demonstration runs across 1,020 miles of track.
•NS has trained more than 10,350 employees and their supervisors on job-specific PTC material.
Learn more: bit.ly/2kyEaC1

[@richardlanglois5183]

Great presentation!

[@jacobripperger3234]

Love how they say "every major railroad in America" and just show Amtrak, UP and BNSF

[@csxguy3002]

When will N&W 611 & NKP 765 be equipped with that just like U.P. did with U.P. 4014

[@jltrain-zgamingrailfan202x3]

Norfolk Southern Corp, how much percentage is Pere Marquette Railway railway related to Norfolk Southern?

[@stanpatterson5033]

I would say absolutely none, seeing as how the Pere Marquette was merged into the Chesapeake and Ohio in 1947, and the C&O eventually became CSX Transportaion. Go see the article... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pere_Marquette_Railway

[@teadyconnolly9590]

Hi to all in NS I am trying to find out the name and location of this fantastic Terminal please this is something else I really like the design can someone help me with the information about this Fantastic Terminal in this video please

[@dangrub4347]

Oh I thought it was from too many crashes

[@FrehleyFan3988]

Norfolk southern is putting up new PTC signalling on the ns Pittsburgh line, like at mg, un, AR, mo, so, and c. I can't wait, until Norfolk southern activates the signals.

[@manga12]

I fear that it is just one more step before fully automated trains, which will put more people out of work of good paying jobs, and runs the risk of dangerous things happening with such huge flying weight down the track, sure it might be safer but I fear it is just another excuse to put people out of work before much longer, and I sure will miss the wayside signaling of lights in the distance something that is part and parcel since the early days of railroading. call me a dinosaur for loving railroad history, but I have my reservations on ptc, not to mention the implementation headaches the big railroads have to endure and the many systoms that are employed, its non standardised and may not have innerconnectivity from one railroad systom to another.

[@curtisehrgott4019]

Does not explain the benefits or reasons behind PTC. I saw a PBS hour long video on this topic that was more informative www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/tech/why-trains-crash.html.

[@sethhowell9567]

France has used a far more advanced system than any american railroad is proposing using since 1970.... French TGVs have operated at over 200 mph with the exact technology for 40yrs with ZERO accidents and American railroads act like they have been asked to run a train to the moon.....

[@FSantoro91]

Curtis Ehrgott we've built, tested, installed, regulated a "PTC" system - actually a ATP system - in less than five years in Italy. It's not rocket science. There hasn't been any collision, or accident, involving speeding, or unauthorized movements, on the national network, since 2008.

[@teadyconnolly9590]

Hi to all in NS this a real Fantastic video well done to all the Team involved in the making this video and the Interviews were spot on I am really delighted to see a well made video and the amount of hours gone into making this video if someone can please tell me the name of the Intermodal yard at the end of the video please I am living in Ireland I am a big NS Fan I am a HO Intermodal Container Modeller keep up the excellent work on and off the Tracks. Greetings from Ireland Kind Regards Teady HO B.L.I. N.S. Intermodal Modeller

[@anthonycedar7]

I am so happy that they are working with BNSF (0:15) and Union Pacific (0:17)! Maybe, they will work with CSX too!!! 😀 😃

[@tospisnotavailable6079]

Dose this person work at you companie Casey Cup?

[@tylerduncan8777]

Look at the head that Tommy Phillips has. He should get that checked out.

[@pikminlord343]

great to see positive train control