Railroads: Still on track

Although 2020 has not been kind to the rail industry, the news out of the sector hasn’t been all bad. After a pandemic-induced slowdown earlier in the year, traffic is now improving thanks to containers full of soon-to-be holiday purchases. And despite the challenging times, the industry has notched up some notable achievements on a number of fronts. It’s time to celebrate them.

• It has taken quite a few years for Positive Train Control (PTC) safety technology to be deployed on our nation’s railways, but 99% of the nearly 58,000 route miles requiring the technology are now operable with the PTC system. The technology has also been deployed on more than 76% of commuter railroads, including all 898 miles owned or controlled by Amtrak.
• In August, the Federal Railroad Administration approved a final rule to enable widespread deployment of continuous rail inspection technology. Previously, testing vehicles had to stop to verify potential defects, and continuous inspections were only allowed under waivers. The ruling is expected to pave the way for more frequent safety inspections.
• There are more than 200,000 highway-rail grade crossings in the U.S., and a program is now underway to inspect them using drones. The Michigan Tech Research Institute (MTRI) and Michigan Technological University are conducting the drone research, which will help inspectors determine if the approach grades make it more likely for vehicles to get stuck on crossings and assess the adequacy of sightlines.
• When the wildfires were at their peak in Northern California, the Union Pacific Railroad sent a “water train” to battle hotspots along the railroad’s tracks, tunnels, and bridges. The special water train consisted of two railcars holding 12,500 gallons of water each and a pumper unit to spray along the track.
• In September, BNSF announced that its executive vice president of operations, Kathryn “Katie” Farmer, will be promoted to president and CEO on Jan. 1. Farmer, who has been with the BNSF for 28 years, will become the first woman to lead a Class 1 railroad.
• When the pandemic hit, the Security and Emergency Response Training Center (SERTC) in Pueblo, Colorado, had to suspend its in-person training classes. But instead of halting all instruction, SERTC quickly pivoted and launched a virtual education platform. The new online courses The Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern are among the railroads that traditionally run special holiday Santa Trains. Sadly, they’ve had to cancel this year’s runs due to the pandemic. I guess the big guy will just have to use his sleigh.