WASHINGTON (AP) — Despite a rash of deadly train crashes, the railroad industry's allies in Congress are trying to delay the deadline for installing technology to prevent the worst types of collisions to at least 2020. That's almost half a century after accident investigators first called for such safety measures.
Under a law enacted in 2008, the systems called positive train control or PTC are supposed to be up and running by Dec. 31, 2015. A handful of railroads are expected to meet that deadline. But the rest of the industry says despite spending billions on the systems, it needs more time. Four senators with industry ties recently introduced a bill to extend the deadline another five to seven years.
The National Transportation Safety Board first recommended advanced train control systems in 1970.
