Most Railroads Won’t Meet Deadline for Safety Controls, Report Says

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: New York Times

By Ron Nixon, Aug. 7, 2015

WASHINGTON — The majority of freight railroads and passenger trains will not be able to meet a year-end deadline to install technology that prevents trains from exceeding speed limits and helps avoid collisions, the Federal Railroad Administration said Friday in a report to Congress.

Congress set a deadline of Dec. 31 for freight and commuter rail companies to install the technology, which is known as positive train control, after a California passenger train derailed in 2008, killing 25 people. ... But the report, which was provided to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, said few railroads were on schedule to meet the deadline.

The largest railroads will have only 39 percent of their trains fitted with the technology by the end of the year, the report said. In addition, just 34 percent of the employees who need to be trained on the equipment will be ready by Dec. 31.

The report also said that just 29 percent of commuter railroads were expected to complete installation of the safety equipment by the end of 2015. Full implementation of the technology for all commuter lines is projected by 2020, five years after the deadline, according to the railroad administration.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/08/us/most-railroads-wont-meet-deadline-for-safety-controls-report-says.html

[chapdrum]

1. Deadline, schmeadline

Whatever.

[Igel]

3. That's how it often works.

Politicians and regulators say, "Do this!"

The response is, "But there's no ready tech. It's a heavy lift. Can't do it."

"We don't trust you. The experts we trust say that you can do it, esp. if we require you to do it. In fact, by requiring you to do we'll make the technology possible and get the credit for it why you spend all the money. We're good, you're bad. Suck it up, losers."

(later)

"We can't meet the deadlines."

"Well, then, we'll just have to (a) punish you or (b) extend the deadline. But you have to show us that it's not intentional missing of the deadline because you may be citizens but you're not like us and we don't trust you. We really think that if you properly feared us and spent the money we wanted you to budget, you'd have met our proposals."

[Stargazer99]

2. Oh, goody more sick and dead life forms

we must sacifrice to our god

[neverforget]

4. They're trying but the technology doesn't work all the time.

I work for a major railroad and PTC works sometimes here in the Northwest. There are still some bugs that need to be worked out.

This technology once it works correctly, will be a major safety improvement and help the conductor and engineer to safely move the trains.

[Drifter]

6. Indeed

I write PTC software. There is a lot of technology infrastructure that needs to be in place and matured. It is difficult to get all of it working everywhere. Trying to do it on the cheep is not going to get us there by the end of the year.

When it is complete, working and fully deployed it will save many lives.

Cheers
Drifter

[The Last Dem.]

5. Guy, I know repeated a bit of old railroad doggerel.

Uphill slow
Downhill hill fast
Tonnage first
Safety last