THE GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM AND ITS APPLICATIONS TO RAILROAD OPERATIONS - AN FRA OFFICE OF R&D TECHNICAL SYMPOSIUM POC: Deborah Duncan, DTS-930, (617) 494-2886; Fax (617) 494-2569. This Symposium is intended to provide information about the Global Positioning System (GPS) to the railroad community, and information about railroading to the GPS community. It will focus on sharing current information about the expanding capabilities and potential uses of GPS in railroading. The intended audience represents all parts of the railroad industry - freight, intercity, and commuter railroads; local, state, and federal Government personnel involved in railroading; and the railroad supply industry along with the GPS supplier community. GPS has been making inroads into the railroad industry for some time. The first tests using GPS to determine train location took place over 12 years ago. Railroads also have been using GPS in track and physical plant surveys. Recently, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has been encouraging railroads to explore the use of real-time differential GPS for tracking trains and maintenance-of-way equipment as a part of positive train control systems. The Symposium will be held November 14 and 15, 1996, at the FAA Auditorium, 800 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington D.C. The registration fee is $25. To register for the Symposium or to obtain more information, contact Deborah Duncan, DTS-930, Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, 55 Broadway, Kendall Square, Cambridge, MA 02142-1093; (617) 494-2686; Fax (617) 494-2569.

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