NJT won't meet PTC Deadline

New Jersey Transit will not meet the December 31 deadline to have a crucial safety system known as Positive Train Control up and running, Executive Director Kevin Corbett told NBC News 4 New York on Tuesday.

Instead, the third-largest commuter railroad in the nation says it will need an extension of up to two years, as provided for under law — assuming NJT can convince regulators to grant it.

https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/lo ... 63441.html

a waiver is granted if a reasonable effort is made to meet the goal,
having only 8% of trains equipped and 0% of track is not a reasonable effort.

Yea well that was from March, apparently its gone "ludicrous speed" since then.

They’ve only had 9 years to sit on their hands thinking about it...

SecaucusJunction wrote:They’ve only had 9 years to sit on their hands thinking about it...

Well, yes, what would you expect?? lol

This is not really news. It is also of no consequence whatsoever. The FRA has no choice, but to squint and give NJT the two year extension. Politically and practically any other action is impossible. If NJT were blatantly ignoring the deadline, then yeah, they would not get the extension, but whatever NJT is doing will count as good enough effort and they will get the two extra years.

My educated guess is that priority is given to the equipment in electrical territory because it runs on tracks owned by Amtrak, so the NEC, the M&E to Dover/MSU and the Coast Line to Long Branch will get done by the deadline. The rest will be in various stages, most likely with with hardware placed along the tracks, but untested and maybe even not wired when December 31st rolls around.

FRA is already saying NJT does not qualify for extension.
https://www.progressiverailroading.com/ ... ion--55001" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Part of the reason is that former gov Christe kept taking away the needed cash to do the job right from the beginning......

DutchRailnut » Thu Jun 28, 2018 1:25 pm

FRA is already saying NJT does not qualify for extension.

So what are they going to do, shut down NJT?

R&DB wrote:

FRA is already saying NJT does not qualify for extension.

So what are they going to do, shut down NJT?

And that is exactly my point. It does not matter what the FRA says now, come December they will squint their eyes and give the two year extension. The only way NJT can shoot itself in the foot is by having another deadly accident similar to the Hoboken crash. As long as they avoid that they will be fine.

So NJT will do just enough to get an extension, then do nothing for 2 years and cry in 2021 that they can't get it done.



The railroads already got one PTC inspection and are now hoping for more. The truckers didn't get this when campaigning against ELD's...

Amtrak has also stated that in 2019 no trains without PTC will be allowed to run on their property .

DutchRailnut wrote:Amtrak has also stated that in 2019 no trains without PTC will be allowed to run on their property .

Yes, Amtrak said that and they as opposed to FRA will not cut NJT any slack due to liability. But as I said in my previous comment, NJT will get PTC working on the equipment that runs into NYP (the electrical equipment) in time, so they will be fine. It is the rest of the system that won't be ready by January 1, 2019.

That should also include the Atlantic City service trains into 30th st station in Phila.

EuroStar wrote:

DutchRailnut wrote:Amtrak has also stated that in 2019 no trains without PTC will be allowed to run on their property .

Yes, Amtrak said that and they as opposed to FRA will not cut NJT any slack due to liability. But as I said in my previous comment, NJT will get PTC working on the equipment that runs into NYP (the electrical equipment) in time, so they will be fine. It is the rest of the system that won't be ready by January 1, 2019.

Besides the NEC trains, all Raritan Valley Line and NJ Coast Line trains run in part on Amtrak’s NEC, plus the Midtown Direct service. A substantial portion of NJT equipment will need PTC.