DCTA gets FRA clearance to begin PTC revenue demonstration service
The Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) has moved to the revenue service demonstration (RSD) phase of its Positive Train Control (PTC) plan following approval of its RSD application by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA).
DCTA says it is the first agency in Texas to have RSD on its rail line and is currently operating select train runs in RSD. RSD entails operating revenue trains with PTC technology and is a key step in its progress to have PTC implemented on its 21-mile A-train line by June 2020.
“I’m proud of our talented and dedicated team that has been working diligently to keep DCTA moving forward with PTC testing and implementation,” said Raymond Suarez, DCTA CEO. “PTC is a significant safety upgrade to our system, and we will continue to prioritize this project to ensure our A-train has the highest level of safety technology.”
DCTA will temporarily modify A-train service in order to maintain its progress on PTC testing and full implementation. DCTA notes that in addition to being the first public transit agency in Texas to begin testing on PTC, it ranks in the top third of public transit agencies in the U.S. for PTC implementation progress.
Railroads that were mandated by law to have the technology were required to meet a series of criteria by Dec. 31, 2018, in order to qualify for an alternative schedule to have the technology installed no later than Dec. 31, 2020.
Mischa Wanek-Libman | Group Editorial Director
Mischa Wanek-Libman is director of communications with Transdev North America. She has more than 20 years of experience working in the transportation industry covering construction projects, engineering challenges, transit and rail operations and best practices.
Wanek-Libman has held top editorial positions at freight rail and public transportation business-to-business publications including as editor-in-chief and editorial director of Mass Transit from 2018-2024. She has been recognized for editorial excellence through her individual work, as well as for collaborative content.
She is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association's Marketing and Communications Committee and served 14 years as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.
She is a graduate of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication.
