Railroads are making good progress in deploying positive...
Railroads are making good progress in deploying positive train control systems, said PTC-220, which represents railroads deploying systems in the 220 MHz band, in a report filed at the FCC. The group submitted state-by-state data for the participating railroads, noting…
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that to date 504 base stations have been installed and 1,684 sites are being prepared for installation (http://bit.ly/YpG5Na). But questions remain, especially because of the difficulty of complying with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHCP), which requires a review of any installations in historically significant properties. “These rules require an extensive environmental evaluation to determine if a proposed new tower is likely to have ‘a significant effect upon the quality of the human environment,’ and thus require further environmental processing by the FCC,” PTC-220 said. “The number of new wayside antenna sites required for PTC has the potential to overwhelm any current processing capabilities of the FCC, Native American tribes, and state historic preservation offices, resulting in delays to PTC site construction.” The group said it’s working with the FCC and the Federal Railroad Administration on an expedited review process. “For example, PTC-220 representatives have met with FCC staff to provide information about its nationwide PTC deployment requirement and to discuss the challenges occasioned by its scale. That has led to follow-up conversations and mutual efforts to streamline the process.”