Blumenthal Demands Metro-North Timeline for PTC Implementation

[WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), a member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, wrote to Metro-North Railroad today after Metro-North President Catherine Rinaldi reportedly announced two months of “slippage” in the railroad’s timeline to fully implement federally-mandated positive train control (PTC). Blumenthal wrote in response to Metro-North’s reply to an original inquiry about the railroad’s PTC implementation timeline. Metro-North’s reply did not adequately illuminate a path towards full implementation.

“Adding to my concern are reports from earlier today with statements attributed to you that because of ‘certain critical safety defects’ Metro-North is adding two months in ‘slippage’ to it schedule putting PTC implementation by the end of the year ‘at significant risk,’” wrote Blumenthal. “Are your statements in your letter and those made publicly today a concession that full implementation will not be done until 2019? If so, when will Metro-North complete full implementation of PTC?”

The full text of Blumenthal’s letter to Metro-North is available for download here, and copied below.

Dear Ms. Rinaldi:

Thank you for your recent response to my letter of March 7, 2018 regarding Metro-North’s efforts to implement Positive Train Control (PTC) throughout the Metro-North system.  In my letter, I sought answers on whether Metro-North will complete PTC implementation by the end of 2018.  While your letter provides some information about status, it falls short in providing a specific completion timeframe.  Instead, your letter provides several vague statements that make me continue to question whether PTC will be fully implemented by the end of 2018.  And adding to my concern are reports from earlier today with statements attributed to you that because of “certain critical safety defects” Metro-North is adding two months in “slippage” to it schedule putting PTC implementation by the end of the year “at significant risk.”  I write with follow-up questions and concerns raised by your letter and statements and again seek a concrete timeframe for when Metro-North will finish the job.

Your letter stresses a number of points but leaves out some key details.  Your response outlines the challenges of PTC implementation, which I recognize.  Your response also stresses a desire to comply with the law, i.e., a pledge to “meet all statutory requirements,” which should be expected anyway.  And your letter notes other safety efforts that Metro-North is advancing, which are no doubt critical. 

What I want to know is when PTC implementation will be complete.  Two lines in your letter make me think the job will not be done until 2019 or later.  You state that you will have “successfully exited Revenue Service Demonstration (RSD) and be in the process of phasing PTC in across Metro-North territory by the end of 2018.”  Later, you state that “we have no way of knowing how long the RSD period will last.”  This could be interpreted to mean that full PTC implementation could drag on into 2019 or later.  Are your statements in your letter and those made publicly today a concession that full implementation will not be done until 2019?  If so, when will Metro-North complete full implementation of PTC?  I look forward to further clarification on this matter.

I appreciate your attention to this issue and efforts to improve safety throughout the Metro-North Railroad.