据联邦铁路管理局报道，货运和乘客铁路正在关闭他们的目标，即12月31日，国会命令的截止日期在其路线上启动和运行。
在11月18日释放铁路第三季度更新的结果时，FRA还表示，新泽西州的一个铁路系统有可能在年底之前完全在所有主要线路上全面运行，这是没有正面火车控制（PTC）系统的风险。
但是，新泽西州运输公司的PTC承包商帕森斯（Parsons）表示，铁路“登上目标”，以满足截止日期，并引用自9月30日以来取得的收益。
Overall, FRA says that railroads’ latest self-reported quarterly submissions show that on one key benchmark, PTC systems were operating or in advanced field tests on 99.6% of the 57,537 route miles subject to the federal requirements.
In the third quarter, railroads activated PTC on an additional 468 route miles, raising their combined completion level by 0.8%.
FRA还表示，截至9月30日，通勤铁路公司的运行时间为92.3％的路线里程，比第二季度的水平增长了16.2％。
Amtrak said that as of that date, it had the safety systems operating on its mainlines that are subject to the PTC mandate, closing the final small gap during the period.
在本季度之前，主要的货运铁路已经在其PTC规定的路线上进行了全面运营。
“Full implementation of PTC is in sight, owing to everyone’s unparalleled cooperation and determination," said FRA Administrator Ronald L. Batory, in a statement. “Once complete, railroads, rail workers and rail passengers will all benefit from this transformational accomplishment in railroad safety.”
一些通勤者和Amtrak火车在货运铁路拥有的轨道上运行，因此轨道所有者“主机”和乘客或通勤线“租户”对PTC系统的互操作性也是PTC的关键要求。
第三季度的报告显示，在219个相关租户铁路关系中，有84％实现了互操作性。在该季度中，这一收益为18.6％。
NJ Transit, a major commuter line to New York City, said it has made gains since its third-quarter report that showed it had PTC in field tests, or revenue service demonstration status, on only about 48% of its route mileage as of Sept. 30.
NJ Transit发言人吉姆·史密斯（Jim Smith）在11月18日的电子邮新利18备用件中告诉ENR，“铁路系统”“继续与FRA紧密合作，因为我们将PTC项目推进了12月31日的全面实施。”
史密斯还指出，在11月12日在新泽西州公交委员会面前的一份简报中，帕森斯（Parsons）规定了“到年底之前实施全面[PTC]的时间表”。
他补充说，新泽西州过境官员“打算让[帕森斯]完全负责满足该截止日期。”
According to a Parsons document prepared for the board briefing, five of NJ Transit’s 14 lines had not yet completed extended field tests as of Nov. 12. Its Lehigh Line entered the revenue field tests Nov. 11.
预计另外两名将在11月16日开始测试。这将使NJ运输条件符合该要求的符合其PTC规定的路线里程的80％。
帕森斯的文件说，最后两个较小的线路，即大西洋城和南部，在12月初正在进行收入测试。帕森斯项目官员也告诉Northjersey.com 11月12日在新泽西州共享铁路线的Amtrak的互操作性测试“到目前为止取得了成功”。
PTC is a safety system that combines on-board and wayside equipment and devices that can automatically regulate train speeds and help prevent collisions or derailments.
独立机构国家运输安全委员会多年来一直在推动PTC。NTSB表示，近年来，完全运行的PTC系统可能会阻止致命的铁路事故。
In 2008, Congress passed legislation to require PTC installation by the end of 2015. But as that date neared, it was clear most railroads would miss the deadline. Congress set a new endpoint of Dec. 31, 2018, and allowed FRA to grant extensions, but only through the end of 2020.
