Overview: 

The FY 2017 Positive Train Control (PTC) Grant Program will fund the installation of PTC systems required under 49 U.S.C. 20157 that include, but are not limited to, back office systems; wayside, communications, and onboard hardware equipment; and spectrum acquisition. Under this grant program, the intended outcomes and benefits of the funded projects are accelerated implementation, increased interoperability, and improved reliability of PTC systems. This program is being jointly administered by FRA and the Federal Transit Administration. See the Notice of Funding Opportunity for additional information.

Authorization: 

$199 million from the Mass Transit Account of the Highway Trust Fund was authorized by section 3028 of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act (Pub. L. 114-94) to assist in financing the installation of PTC systems. 

Eligible Projects: 

Projects eligible for funding must assist in financing the installation of PTC systems required under 49 U.S.C. 20157, such as:

• Installation of shared PTC system infrastructure (e.g., back office systems and computer-aided dispatch (CAD) systems)
• Advancement of PTC system interoperability related to installation, such as spectrum acquisition, spectrum sharing, and radio interference and desensitization
• Installation of technologies that will lower costs, accelerate implementation, increase interoperability between host and tenant operations, and improve reliability of PTC systems
• Installation of technologies that will eliminate PTC system communications interference, provide solutions to configuration management of multi-railroad PTC software and firmware deployments, and provide host-tenant railroad PTC interoperability/system certification

Eligible Recipients:

Recipients of funds under chapter 53 of title 49 of the U.S. Code, including:

• Public transit agencies operating commuter railroads, and
• State and local governments.

To be eligible for assistance, recipients must meet the requirements in 49 U.S.C. 20157(a) with:

• Submittal of a revised PTC Implementation Plan (PTCIP) to FRA;
• Status as tenants on one or more host railroads, whose host railroad(s) have submitted a revised PTCIP; or
• Substantive information that they are not required to submit a revised PTCIP, and their proposed project will assist in financing the installation of PTC required under 49 U.S.C. 20157.

News:

May 31, 2017 Press Release