BNSF seeks to extends PTC deadline BNSF Railway is seeking permission from the US Department of Transportation to extend the positive train control (PTC) deadline by two years. PTC is a wireless communication system that can prevent an accident by overriding a conductor to slow or stop a train. The Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 required PTC implementation across a significant portion of the nation's rail system by December 31, 2015. However, Congress later pushed back the deadline to the end of this year, with the possibility of an additional two-year extension under certain circumstances, reported American Shipper. Although BNSF finished installing all the mandated PTC infrastructure at the end of 2017, which included 88 required subdivisions covering 11,500 route miles on its network, the railway operator said it requires the extension on account of interoperability delays with other railroads. The Federal Railroad Administration's existing interpretation of the law is that full implementation status cannot be achieved until all non-BNSF trains and/or equipment operating on its PTC-equipped lines are also PTC-compliant. "This interoperability of PTC systems between Class I, commuter and short line rail carriers remains a challenge," BNSF said. "BNSF has successfully demonstrated interoperability with several railroads that operate on its network, including commuter railroads and Amtrak," BNSF said. "However, not all railroads that operate on BNSF will have completed their PTC installation by the end of 2018."