Sen. Blunt introduces new railroad legislation

Earlier this week, U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) introduced the Railroad Safety and Positive Train Control Extension Act.

The bipartisan bill hopes to extend the deadline for full implementation of Positive Train Control to 2020, in order to lessen the regulatory burden and costs for both passengers and freight railroads.

Currently, Missouri has 4,000 miles of tracks, which are operated by 19 different railway companies.

“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," Blunt said. "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.”

Blunt's bill is cosponsored by U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune (R-SD) and Sens. Bill Nelson (D-FL), and Claire McCaskill (D-MO).