GAO report highlights need for Congress to extend positive train control

The Association of American Railroads recently announced that a report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) highlights the fact that Congress must extend the current deadline that is set for installing positive train control (PTC).

"The GAO report reinforces the freight rail industry's contention that PTC is an extremely complex technology that requires more time to install and safely test," Edward R. Hamberger, president and CEO of the Association of American Railroads, said. "Freight rail operators have always contended that the congressionally mandated 2015 deadline for having PTC fully functional and being used coast to coast by passenger and freight rail alike was not realistic.”

The report evaluated the PTC implementation challenges and progress of the PTC in the rail industry. It also identified the various complications that are related to installing, developing and testing the innovative railway technology.

"But the fact that can't be ignored is that time is quickly running out for taking action to extend the deadline and avoid the dire consequences of not doing so,” Hamberger said. “American businesses that use rail to move their goods and people that depend on rail to travel and get to work every day need to know they can count on Congress to do the right thing."