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12/30/2025
BNSF Railway on Dec. 9 fully implemented positive train control (PTC) technology on more than 216 miles of its new Montana Rail Link (MRL) subdivision.
BNSF began operating PTC on the Montana subdivision in June and completed full installation in four segments, according to an online BNSF "Rail Talk" article by Susan Green.
The PTC system helps prevent train collisions and derailments caused by track authority violations or excessive speed. PTC also prevents unauthorized train movement during maintenance or switching. To date, BNSF has installed PTC technology on nearly 17,000 miles of track across its network, exceeding the Federal Railroad Administration's mandated 15,000 miles.
BNSF took over operations of the MRL in January 2024, creating a subdivision of its Montana Division. BNSF completed PTC implementation on the new subdivision four months ahead of an FRA mandate.
"BNSF made the decision early on to go above and beyond the regulation-required mandate to further provide safety overlay protection for our employees and the public on key routes across our network,” said Phil Mullen, BNSF director of network control systems.