U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal is calling for the installation of technology that can prevent crashes on a portion of rail from New York City to New Haven.
Blumenthal noted that Positive Train Control technology has recently been activated on Amtrak tracks between Philadelphia and New York. He said that leaves the New York to New Haven stretch as the only portion of the Northeast Corridor without the safety enhancement.
Positive Train Control technology was also activated recently on the Philadelphia-to-Washington section, and the stretch from Boston to New Haven was already operational.
The Connecticut Democrat said all railroads, including Metro-North, should follow Amtrak's lead and install the life-saving technology.
Positive Train Control technology uses GPS and other tracking systems to automatically stop trains in danger of derailing because they're speeding, are about to collide with another train, or are about to enter a work area.
