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GAO-20-516R 1 (2020-04-30)

handle is hein.gao/gaobaebam0001 and id is 1 raw text is: G A O U.S. GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE 441 G St. N.W. Washington, DC 20548 April 30, 2020 The Honorable Roger Wicker Chairman Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation United States Senate Positive Train Control: Railroads Generally Made Progress, but Several Must Meet Compressed Schedules to Meet Implementation Date Dear Mr. Chairman: Positive train control (PTC) is a communications-based system designed to automatically slow or stop a train in certain cases where it is not being operated safely. Over a decade ago, a federal law was enacted requiring the implementation of PTC by 42 railroads-including 30 commuter railroads, Amtrak, and several Class I and Class Il/111 freight railroads-to prevent train-to-train collisions and other types of accidents.1 The National Transportation Safety Board stated in 2018 that since the enactment of this law, it had investigated 22 rail accidents that could have been prevented by PTC. By statute, railroads were required to implement PTC by December 31, 2018, unless they met certain statutory requirements and requested an extension.2 Few railroads completed implementation by year-end 2018, so the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) granted nearly all of the 42 railroads required to implement PTC an extension up to December 31, 2020. However, FRA is not authorized to grant further extensions. Over the years, we have periodically reported and testified on railroads' progress implementing PTC.3 We have consistently identified the challenges arising during the complex and lengthy implementation process, which involves nearly all major rail lines and almost every aspect of railroads' operations. In July 2019 we reported that most railroads had completed the earlier stages of implementation, such as equipment installation, and were in various stages of testing 1Certain railroads were required to implement PTC by December 31, 2015. Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008, Pub. L. No. 110-432, div. A, 122 Stat. 4848 (2008). In 2015, Congress extended this original deadline. Positive Train Control Enforcement and Implementation Act of 2015, Pub. L. No. 114-73, § 1302, 129 Stat. 568, 576-582 (2015), codified at 49 U.S.C. § 20157. Freight railroads are classified by operating revenues. As of 2017, Class I railroads have annual operating revenues of $447.6 million or more. Class II railroads have annual operating revenues of less than $447.6 million but more than $35.8 million, and Class III railroads have annual operating revenues of $35.8 million or less. 2The Federal Railroad Administration was required to grant railroads an extension if they met specific statutory requirements and requested an alternative schedule and sequence (i.e., an extension). 49 U.S.C. § 20157. 3See GAO, Positive Train Control: As Implementation Progresses, Focus Turns to the Complexities of Achieving System Interoperability, GAO-1 9-693T (Washington, D.C.: July 31, 2019); GAO, Positive Train Control: Most Passenger Railroads Expect to Request an Extension, and Substantial Work Remains Beyond 2018, GAO-1 9-135T (Washington, D.C.: Oct. 3, 2018).; GAO, Positive Train Control: Most Railroads Expect to Request an Extension, and Substantial Work Remains Beyond 2018, GAO-1 8-692T (Washington, D.C.: Sept. 13, 2018); and GAO, Positive Train Control: Many Commuter Railroads Still Have Significant Additional Implementation Work and Opportunities Exist to Provide Federal Assistance, GAO-1 8=367T (Washington, D.C.: March 1, 2018). GAO-20-516R Positive Train Control Page 1

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