Bill to extend PTC deadline introduced

Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) introduced the bipartisan Railroad Safety and Positive Train Control (PTC) Extension Act, which would extend the deadline for full implementation of Positive Train Control (PTC) to 2020 to help ease the regulatory burden and costs for passenger and freight railroads. (Click here to read the bill)

“We must work to do everything we can to improve train safety and accident prevention without burdening our nation’s freight and passenger rail industry," said Sen. Blunt. "Unmanageable deadlines could result in higher costs and a disruption of service. This bipartisan bill will help ease the Positive Train Control deadline to give railroads in Missouri and nationwide enough time to fully and safely implement this new technology.”

The Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 mandates that PTC must be installed by Dec. 31, 2015. PTC is mandated on tracks that carry passenger rail and certain hazardous materials and will cover around 60,000 tracks in total nationwide.

Many commuter rail agencies say without funds or federal funding they may not be able to meet the December 2015 mandate.