Post by TK Dave on Dec 27, 2015 10:24:50 GMT -5
By Richard Wronski, Contact ReporterChicago Tribune
The Union Pacific Railroad and the BNSF Railway, two of the nation's biggest railroads, say they plan to shut down much of their networks, including commuter service in Chicago and Amtrak passenger service, rather than violate a federal law mandating that a complex and expensive safety system be operational by Dec. 31.
The action by these freight railroads and other lines poses the likelihood of a national rail transportation crisis if Congress fails to extend the deadline for implementation of the positive train control system, or allows federal officials to grant the railroads temporary waivers.
Due to the cost and complexity of PTC, few if any railroads, including Metra, say they will have the system completely installed by the end of the year.
A stoppage by the railroads would have a wide-ranging impact on the flow of goods across the country — from farm products to coal and crude oil — as well as prevent operations on some of Metra's busiest lines.
The BNSF and three UP lines carry more than 169,000 passengers a day on 288 trains to and from Downtown. About 5,400 Amtrak customers pass though the city each day. BNSF and UP own and operate the four Metra lines under contracts.
But without an extension, service on all 11 Metra lines — with some 300,000 trips a day — would be jeopardized because Metra would not operate in violation of the law, officials acknowledged Thursday.
"In the absence of an extension, there is a strong possibility that Metra will not be able to operate our trains beginning Jan. 1, 2016," the agency said in a letter to U.S. Sen. John Thune, R-South Dakota, head of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.
Metra said it is preparing contingency plans and would ask the CTA and Pace to help accommodate customers.
An Amtrak spokesman said Thursday that it has received no notification that any railroad intends to suspend passenger service on tracks that are not PTC compliant by the Dec. 31 deadline.
The railroads' threat is being taken seriously by many in the rail industry. Railroads fear that they will expose themselves to significant legal claims and punitive damages if an accident were to occur while they operate in violation of the law.
The Federal Railroad Administration has said it will fine the railroads up to $25,000 a day if they operate without PTC.
The railroad industry has been warning for months that operators will be unable to meet the deadline set by Congress in 2008.
The Senate has passed a long-term transportation measure that includes an extension, but the House has not taken any action on PTC.
U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski, D-Ill., said Thursday that he is confident that both chambers will approve an extension by the end of the year.
"Everyone understands this is a real concern," Lipinski said. But in light of recent rail accidents, like the May 12 fatal Amtrak derailment in Philadelphia, "No one (in Congress) wants to do anything to give the impression we are not concerned about safety."
Positive Train Control is a complicated system of computers, radios and GPS that is intended to automatically slow or stop a train prior to a collision or derailment, and override human error.
Metra estimates that it will cost more than $350 million to install PTC on its 11 lines and 1,200 miles of track.
The Association of American Railroads, an industry group, says freight railroads have spent $5.7 billion to date on PTC and expect to spend a total of $9 billion for full deployment on some 60,000 miles of tracks.
The UP and BNSF outlined their plans in letters Wednesday to Thune.
The UP's president and CEO said commuter operations on its lines would cease before midnight Dec. 31, and long-distance passenger traffic on its lines would stop several days sooner to enable passengers to reach their destinations before the shutdown.
"I want you to know these decisions are not made lightly or in haste," UP's Lance Fritz said. "We carefully reviewed our options, which are limited. … We simply don't see another option."
In its letter, the BNSF said it, too, would be left with few options to operate.
"We have analyzed what train operations could continue if operations are halted … without PTC installed and believe that operations across our entire network will likely be compromised by congestion and effectively shut down," wrote Carl Ice, BNSF's president and CEO.
"BNSF would do whatever is reasonably possible to mitigate this impact, but the consequences for the economy and for our company would be substantial," Ice wrote.
The Tribune first reported on June 25 a warning from Frank Lonegro, a vice president for CSX Transportation, that failure to meet the PTC deadline "creates a significant dilemma" for railroads and could shut down rail operations.
Copyright © 2015, Chicago Tribune
The Union Pacific Railroad and the BNSF Railway, two of the nation's biggest railroads, say they plan to shut down much of their networks, including commuter service in Chicago and Amtrak passenger service, rather than violate a federal law mandating that a complex and expensive safety system be operational by Dec. 31.
The action by these freight railroads and other lines poses the likelihood of a national rail transportation crisis if Congress fails to extend the deadline for implementation of the positive train control system, or allows federal officials to grant the railroads temporary waivers.
Due to the cost and complexity of PTC, few if any railroads, including Metra, say they will have the system completely installed by the end of the year.
A stoppage by the railroads would have a wide-ranging impact on the flow of goods across the country — from farm products to coal and crude oil — as well as prevent operations on some of Metra's busiest lines.
The BNSF and three UP lines carry more than 169,000 passengers a day on 288 trains to and from Downtown. About 5,400 Amtrak customers pass though the city each day. BNSF and UP own and operate the four Metra lines under contracts.
But without an extension, service on all 11 Metra lines — with some 300,000 trips a day — would be jeopardized because Metra would not operate in violation of the law, officials acknowledged Thursday.
"In the absence of an extension, there is a strong possibility that Metra will not be able to operate our trains beginning Jan. 1, 2016," the agency said in a letter to U.S. Sen. John Thune, R-South Dakota, head of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.
Metra said it is preparing contingency plans and would ask the CTA and Pace to help accommodate customers.
An Amtrak spokesman said Thursday that it has received no notification that any railroad intends to suspend passenger service on tracks that are not PTC compliant by the Dec. 31 deadline.
The railroads' threat is being taken seriously by many in the rail industry. Railroads fear that they will expose themselves to significant legal claims and punitive damages if an accident were to occur while they operate in violation of the law.
The Federal Railroad Administration has said it will fine the railroads up to $25,000 a day if they operate without PTC.
The railroad industry has been warning for months that operators will be unable to meet the deadline set by Congress in 2008.
The Senate has passed a long-term transportation measure that includes an extension, but the House has not taken any action on PTC.
U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski, D-Ill., said Thursday that he is confident that both chambers will approve an extension by the end of the year.
"Everyone understands this is a real concern," Lipinski said. But in light of recent rail accidents, like the May 12 fatal Amtrak derailment in Philadelphia, "No one (in Congress) wants to do anything to give the impression we are not concerned about safety."
Positive Train Control is a complicated system of computers, radios and GPS that is intended to automatically slow or stop a train prior to a collision or derailment, and override human error.
Metra estimates that it will cost more than $350 million to install PTC on its 11 lines and 1,200 miles of track.
The Association of American Railroads, an industry group, says freight railroads have spent $5.7 billion to date on PTC and expect to spend a total of $9 billion for full deployment on some 60,000 miles of tracks.
The UP and BNSF outlined their plans in letters Wednesday to Thune.
The UP's president and CEO said commuter operations on its lines would cease before midnight Dec. 31, and long-distance passenger traffic on its lines would stop several days sooner to enable passengers to reach their destinations before the shutdown.
"I want you to know these decisions are not made lightly or in haste," UP's Lance Fritz said. "We carefully reviewed our options, which are limited. … We simply don't see another option."
In its letter, the BNSF said it, too, would be left with few options to operate.
"We have analyzed what train operations could continue if operations are halted … without PTC installed and believe that operations across our entire network will likely be compromised by congestion and effectively shut down," wrote Carl Ice, BNSF's president and CEO.
"BNSF would do whatever is reasonably possible to mitigate this impact, but the consequences for the economy and for our company would be substantial," Ice wrote.
The Tribune first reported on June 25 a warning from Frank Lonegro, a vice president for CSX Transportation, that failure to meet the PTC deadline "creates a significant dilemma" for railroads and could shut down rail operations.
Copyright © 2015, Chicago Tribune
