This plan by the Dept. of Transportation's (DoT) Federal Railroad Admin. (FRA) outlines a vision for the future of railroads & the technologies needed to support them. FRA coordinated the plan with a wide variety of user groups, both within & outside the DoT. Chapters: Introduction; A Vision for the Future: Intelligent Railroad Systems; R&D Project Development & Selection Process; Railroad Research & Development Program; Next Generation High-Speed Rail Technology Demonstration Program; Magnetic Levitation Technology Deployment Program; Strategic Workforce Planning; The Budget for FRA Research, Development & Demonstration Activities; & Conclusion. Appendices. Charts, tables, graphs & photos.

Positive train control (PTC) is a communications-based train control system designed to prevent some serious train accidents. Federal law requires passenger and major freight railroads to install PTC on most major routes by the end of 2015. Railroads must address other risks by implementing other technologies. The FRA oversees implementation of these technologies and must report to Congress on progress in implementing PTC. This report discusses railroads' progress in developing PTC and the remaining steps to implement it, the benefits of and challenges in implementing other safety technologies, and the extent of FRA's efforts to fulfill the PTC mandate. Charts and tables. This is a print on demand edition of an important, hard-to-find report.