Rail News: Amtrak
June 12, 2015

Amtrak might have to end or reroute passenger-rail service on the Southwest Chief and River Runner lines by year's end because of costs to install positive train control (PTC) technology, an Amtrak executive told a Senate committee earlier this week.

Amtrak Vice President of Operations DJ Stadler testified Wednesday before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, which held a hearing on passenger-rail safety. Stadler gave a report on Amtrak's efforts to implement PTC on its network.

In his written testimony, Stadler said that in Missouri, Amtrak's Southwest Chief route runs on track owned by two host railroads, the Kansas City Terminal (KCT) and the Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis. As Class III railroads, they are exempt from the federal PTC requirement unless the track is used by passenger trains.

"Because they're considered Class III, the PTC requirement is triggered by the operation of passenger trains," Stadler said. "These hosts have maintained that because Amtrak's trains trigger the PTC requirement, Amtrak is responsible for the cost of PTC installation, which amounts in the case of KCT to $30 million."