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The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) awarded $3.15 million to the American Short Line & Regional Railroad Association under the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) program (CFDA 20.325) effective July 1, 2025, with a completion date of July 31, 2030. This Project Grant supports the design, testing, and implementation of Positive Train Control (PTC) system connectivity and security enhancements for short-line railroads utilizing Advanced Civil Speed Enforcement System (ACSES) technology. The award funds the coordination between PTC systems and back-office infrastructure, with a specific focus on strengthening performance analytics and security capabilities for rail operators and customers in the Northeast Corridor.

Deliverables under this award include a comprehensive project management plan, testing certifications for encryption enablement of the Key Encryption System/Key Management System (KES/KMS), validated results of upgraded Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) features, cloud-based railroad staging area implementation, system testing completion reports, system implementation narratives, pilot period support certification, and a final performance report. These products will enhance the safety, efficiency, and reliability of rail operations while establishing secure, validated infrastructure for short-line railroad operators to implement PTC technology across the Northeast Corridor region.

Purpose

The purpose of this project is to provide short line railroads that utilize advanced civil speed enforcement system (ACSES) PTC system with positive train control (PTC) performance analytics security.2.

Activities

The american short line and regional railroad association will design and coordinate connectivity within the positive train control (PTC) system and the back-office system. This will include the testing and implementation of the PTC system. 3.deliverables expected outcomes: project management plan, testing certification of encryption enablement of KES KMS system, test results of the updated SD-WAN features, notification of completion of the cloud-based railroad staging area, completion report of system testing, narrative of system implementation, certification of pilot period support, and the final performance report. 4.intended beneficiary: rail customers and operators of the northeast corridor (NEC)5.

Subrecipient activities

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