Amtrak CEO Warns of Potential Service Shutdown Ahead of Safety Deadline

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Bob

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Amtrak has told U.S. lawmakers that it will suspend service on its national network in mid-December unless Congress extends a Dec. 31 deadline for implementing advanced safety technology, according to an Oct. 5 letter from Amtrak reviewed by Reuters.

The letter, addressed to Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, a South Dakota Republican, says service would be suspended where Amtrak must rely on freight and passenger railroads that will not meet the deadline for operating the technology known as positive train control, or PTC.

"A vast majority of our network would be inoperable without an extension," Amtrak President and Chief Executive Officer Joseph Boardman said in the letter.


Full story:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/10/06/us-usa-trains-safety-amtrak-idUSKCN0S02D320151006
 
Pretty much yes. They all have the same problem, legally they can't operate after December 31st. It's all a ploy to get the deadline extended, which is really the only option.
 
I don't think Metra was the first though, I seem to recall it was one of the big guys, UP or BNSF, not sure which. Everyone else is pretty much doing the "Me too!" routine at this point.

Amtrak is going to begin warning customers when they make reservations starting on December 1st.
 
Here are all the letters that the railroads sent to Senator Thune: www.commerce.senate.gov/PTC

The funny thing about the Amtrak Press Release is that it's not like they have a choice. What they are saying is that all of the host railroads won't allow them to run in 2016 unless the deadline is extended. So Bob is correct, this is more of notice to customers than it is to to anything else.

UP said it will embargo all passenger traffic and all TIH traffic.

BNSF said it will not run on any line requiring PTC.

The major impious of this is partly the fines that the FRA has said it will impose, but mostly the liability of violating Federal Law. If an accident happens that PTC could have prevented post 2016 and the law doesn't get extended and the railroads knowingly violate Federal Law, then insurance companies will not cover the accident, and lawsuits from all the victims would be a pretty easy slam dunk. Also labor could potential not operate the trains since they can't be told to operate in violation of Federal Law and they could be potentially held liable for operating the train.
 




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