{"id":37796,"date":"2015-05-27T08:24:15","date_gmt":"2015-05-27T12:24:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/smart-union.dev\/news\/fra-acts-to-control-train-speeds-on-northeast-corridor\/"},"modified":"2015-05-27T08:24:15","modified_gmt":"2015-05-27T12:24:15","slug":"fra-acts-to-control-train-speeds-on-northeast-corridor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.smart-union.org\/fra-acts-to-control-train-speeds-on-northeast-corridor\/","title":{"rendered":"FRA acts to control train speeds on Northeast Corridor","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"
FRA will take additional steps in coming days to address speed and curves on all\u00a0passenger corridors<\/em>\u00a0<\/h5>\n

\"FRAWASHINGTON \u2013 The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) today issued an Emergency Order that will assist in controlling passenger train speeds at certain locations on the Northeast Corridor (NEC). Today\u2019s order is the latest in a series of actions the FRA has taken in the wake of last week\u2019s derailment of Amtrak Train #188.\u00a0<\/p>\n

FRA also announced today its intention to take additional actions in the coming days to address potential speed issues on all other passenger corridors.<\/p>\n

Last Saturday, FRA instructed Amtrak to immediately take several actions to improve safety along the NEC.\u00a0 As stated in that weekend announcement, today\u2019s Emergency Order formalizes those instructions.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlthough we do not yet know what caused the derailment of Amtrak Train #188, the information we do have underscores the need to continue to do all we can to further promote safety along the Northeast Corridor,\u201d said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. \u201cToday\u2019s action will help prevent similar incidents from occurring on the NEC until Amtrak completes its installation of Positive Train Control later this year.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Emergency Order requires Amtrak to take a series of steps to improve safety along the Northeast Corridor, including implementing Automatic Train Control (ATC) code changes and modifications, adopting other safety procedures at several curve locations with significant speed reductions, and submitting an action plan to FRA outlining additional steps.<\/p>\n

FRA will take additional steps in the coming days and weeks to ensure other corridors are addressing potential over-speed issues as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Northeast Corridor is the busiest rail corridor in the country, and the steps we have ordered Amtrak to take will immediately improve safety on this busy corridor,\u201d said Acting Federal Railroad Administrator Sarah Feinberg. \u201cBut in the days and weeks to come, we will also do more \u2013 while FRA will continue to push Amtrak and other commuter lines to achieve full implementation of Positive Train Control, we will also work with them in the short term to immediately address potential over-speed issues.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Emergency Order requires Amtrak to immediately implement a code change to its ATC system near the Frankford Junction curve in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The change must enforce the passenger train speed limit of 50 mph, or lower, for northbound trains approaching the curve. Amtrak implemented this change prior to the restart of service on Monday.<\/p>\n

In addition, Amtrak must survey the NEC to identify each main track curve where there is a reduction of more than 20 mph from the maximum authorized approach speed to that curve for passenger trains, and provide a list of each location to the FRA.<\/p>\n

Following Amtrak\u2019s identification of the curves referenced above, Amtrak must develop and submit an action plan to FRA that accomplishes each of the following:<\/p>\n