South Carolina Governor Says Amtrak Train Hit Stationary Freight Train
The Amtrak train collided with a freight train early Sunday morning.
LEARN MOREAmtrak Will Stop Running On Tracks That Aren't Compliant With The Law
Amtrak's CEO said its trains will "suspend operations" on tracks that don't have positive train control implemented by the end of the year.
Amtrak Will Stop Running On Tracks That Aren't Compliant With The Law
Getty Images
February 16, 2018
Amtrak will temporarily stop running its trains on some U.S. tracks that don't have advanced speed controls in place by the end of the year.
That's according to Amtrak's CEO Richard Anderson, who testified before a congressional subcommittee Thursday.
That advanced speed control technology is called positive train control, or PTC. It can automatically slow or stop a train before an accident happens.
The National Transportation Safety Board had said PTC would've prevented an Amtrak train from derailing in Washington state in December. Three people died.
Congress initially required all of the nation's railroads to have the technology by the end of 2015 but later stretched that deadline to the end of this year.
Anderson told lawmakers Amtrak already installed PTC on almost all its tracks and is cooperating with host railroads it uses to install the technology. He said some of those carriers might not make the Dec. 31 deadline and that Amtrak won't use those tracks until they're "compliant with law."
2:38
Department of Transportation announces $800 million for roadway safety
In 2021, the U.S. hit a 16-year high when 42,915 people died from traffic crashes in the U.S.
By Michael Macor / AP3:00
Winter storm causes 3rd day of dangerous, icy conditions
The storm began Monday as part of an expected "several rounds" of wintry precipitation through Wednesday in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Tennessee.
By Elias Valverde II / The Dallas Morning News via AP0:59
Wintry weather scrubs more than 1,000 flights in US
More cancellations are expected in coming days as Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas deal with freezing temperatures and wintry precipitation.
By Brynn Anderson / APTop Stories
Zoo will name a cockroach after your ex for Valentine's Day
Last year, the most popular exes were named Jacob and Sarah. Any bets on the names that will take the top spots this year?
By San Antonio Zoo3:26
Punxsutawney Phil makes his 2023 Groundhog Day prediction
Since 1887, people have gathered outside Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to see Phil make his prediction.
By Barry Reeger / AP2:46
Biden, McCarthy meet face-to-face on debt crisis worries
McCarthy had all but invited himself to the White House to start the conversation before a summer debt deadline.
By Susan Walsh / AP