More than 150,000 railcars cross BB lines annually.  Many different users must operate safely every day on the BB system of tracks and each must  have permission to use the tracks before entering.  These users include Buckingham Branch RR freight trains, Buckingham Branch RR excursion trains, CSXT freight trains, Amtrak passenger trains, BB track and structure crews, BB signal crews, BB maintenance of way workers, BB track inspectors, Federal Railroad Administration inspectors, Amtrak inspectors and Virginia State Corporation Commission inspectors, among others.  BB’s rail traffic controllers must keep track of all parties who request permission to enter the tracks, and then dispatch the correct permissions to each party.  These dispatches include limitations on the permissions granted as to the location on the tracks, the time frame for the permission, which parties have priority rights of way, and which parties must yield as needed.

Our RTC’s must be intimately familiar with the physical characteristics of the territory they are controlling as well as the operating capabilities of the locomotive power being used.  Each section of track within each BB division has a unique set of operating and safety rules that apply to track users.  These rules cover type of track, train speed limits, type of signal system and signal rules in effect, type of braking, any special rules for grade crossings, rules for day time and night time operation, emergency radio call-in procedures, rules governing interchange operations with other railroads, weight and height restrictions, equipment restrictions, and other rules.  The BB Rail Traffic Control Center is based in Staunton, VA and operates 365 days per year, 24 hours per day.