September 11, 2018

Duckworth Discusses Rail Safety Improvements at Metra Railcar Shop in Chicago

 

[CHICAGO, IL] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) toured Metra’s 47th Street Railcar Shop today with Metra CEO Jim Derwinski and other Metra officials where federal Positive Train Control (PTC) funds are being utilized to upgrade trains and make them safer for commuters and workers. PTC utilizes enhanced communications technologies to help eliminate preventable rail accidents, such as over-speed derailments, train-to-train collisions and work zone intrusions. Metra is working to meet the federal government’s deadline for complete implementation of PTC technologies by 2020. Photos of today’s meeting are available here.

“Commuters and operators are counting on timely implementation of technologies that make transportation safer and more reliable,” Duckworth said. “I’ll keep working to secure the federal resources necessary to upgrade Chicagoland’s rail system and achieve full implementation of these life-saving technologies.”

In August, Senator Duckworth and Senator Durbin announced $33,224,233 in federal funding for the implementation of PTC safety technology on Chicago-area railroads from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). Senator Duckworth serves on three committees with jurisdiction over infrastructure: the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works as well as the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. Duckworth is committed to improving the nation’s transportation systems and working to ensure that Illinois receives adequate funding from the federal government to rebuild and modernize the state’s infrastructure.

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