Rail Runner facing $50M safety system deadline, possible service cuts
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – It’s crucial, expensive safety equipment the Federal Government is requiring that could now force the state’s commuter rail line to cut some level of train service in the near future.
The Rail Runner is running against a short deadline and an estimated $50-million cost to implement a state-of-the-art train safety system called “Positive Train Control,” or PTC.
As the feds stick to a December 31, 2018 deadline for PTC installation, the Rail Runner is unlikely make it and has already submitted a “limited operations” plan that may result in a reduction to the number of daily passenger trains.
What is PTC?
“When you stick a $50 million price tag on a safety enhancement, it is a burden,” said Augusta Meyers, spokeswoman for the Rio Metro Regional Transit District, which oversees the Rail Runner.
Read more: http://krqe.com/2017/09/06/rail-runner-facing-50-million-safety-system-deadline-possible-service-cuts/