WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD), and Related Agencies Subcommittee, today released a statement on National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chairman Christopher Hart’s comments calling for Positive Train Control. 

“We now know without a doubt that last year’s horrific Amtrak derailment in Philadelphia was 100% preventable. The eight people who were killed, and hundreds who were injured, suffered needlessly because we’ve failed to put in place basic safety measures like Positive Train Control,” said Murphy. “We know what causes these crashes and exactly how to stop them. The Senate is about to pass a bill that includes $200 million to implement PTC on more commuter railroads like Metro-North and I will keep fighting until it’s operational on every passenger rail service in Connecticut and across the country.”‎

“It’s widely understood that every person, no matter how conscientious and skilled, is fallible, which is why technology was developed to backstop human vulnerabilities,” NTSB Chairman Christopher A. Hart said in a release. “Had positive train control been in place on that stretch of track, this entirely preventable tragedy would not have happened.”

As a member of the Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee, Murphy advocated for full funding of the Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor, including for the Northeast Corridor Improvement Program in order to make the critical infrastructure and safety upgrades necessary for travelers on America’s busiest stretch of railroad. The Senate’s Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD), and Related Agencies appropriations bill currently on the floor includes $199 million for Positive Train Control implementation for commuter railroads and $50 million for Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement grants.