(Source: Associated Press, April 17, 2014)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Only one-fifth of its track will be equipped with mandatory safety technology to prevent the most catastrophic kinds of collisions and derailments by the deadline set by Congress, the freight railroad industry said Wednesday.
The Association of American Railroads said in a report that about 20 percent of the approximately 60,000 miles of track being equipped with the technology will meet the deadline of Dec. 31, 2015. Previously, the association had estimated 40 percent would meet the deadline.
The association blamed the Federal Communications Commission, saying the FCC is holding up the placement of about 20,000 antennas on track wayside that are necessary to complete installation of the technology, known as positive train control or PTC.
Full story: ABC News