Amtrak should go back where it came from

It was a macabre scene as in the dead-of-night the hulking, oversized caskets gloomily passed by, destined – in this disturbing and horrifying funeral procession - for the railroad graveyard.

In them three people had died. Scores more were injured “and now we have families that will never, ever outlive this.”

According to Gov. Inslee’s announcement (TNT, Dec.20, 2017, updated 6:34 P.M.) “Amtrak is committed to make Positive Train Control (PTC) operational on trains in Washington as soon as possible, and before the federal deadline on Dec. 31, 2018.”

Just the day before, December 19, The Seattle Times editorial board revealed that “safety regulators have called for PTC systems for decades, but Congress and the U.S. railroad industry have been slow to implement this lifesaving technology.”

Mandated in 2008 by Congress, PTC was required by the end of 2015.

Why wasn’t it then?

Why should the public be sacrificed to a rail system for which the need has not been substantiated; to die because deadlines are not kept; to believe promises – again – that are postponed?

If, in fact, one year from now, PTC controls will in fact be in place, then one year from now Amtrak can then, and should only then, be allowed to fast-track through life-congested neighborhoods.

Until then, they can go back where they came from.

Video by permission of Darren Bryant.

Image Source

Update: According to “The Seattle Times”, December 21, 3:40 P.M., Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) officials “say they won’t restart passenger service along the rail line where an Amtrak train derailed until ‘positive train control’ safety systems are in place.

Barbara LaBoe, a spokeswoman for WSDOT, said “the state didn’t know when the train control systems would be ready for the new line.”

LaBoe further stated “officials were wanting to have renewed conversations with communities along the new route.”

Further update (Seattle Times, Dec.21, 12:34 P.M.): “Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., is seeking a congressional inquiry into Amtrak’s safety practices after Monday’s passenger-train crash near DuPont, Pierce County.

“In addition, Cantwell and 14 other Democratic senators sent a letter to Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao, calling on her to hold railroads accountable for failing to implement sufficient safety measures.”

So, Amtrak has indeed gone back to where it came from and the last passenger train along the scenic Puget Sound waterfront wasn’t the last train after all.