Sure, I'd like to see how it was spent. The point is that when you imply that the money should've been spent to prevent this, you're ignoring the fact that the entire 650 million could have been spent on this type of system and still not prevented this accident because the funding falls short of installing it throughout the US. It's also likely that some of the 650 million was spent on other deferred maintenance that was more pressing.
There are PTC efforts going on now.
PTC has been installed at other locations along Amtrak's Northeast Corridor line, including stretches from Boston to New Haven, New Brunswick to Trenton and a 30-mile stretch of track in eastern Maryland. Congress has mandated installation along the Philadelphia tracks, along with more than 600,000 miles of U.S. railways that carry passengers or hazardous materials, by year's end.
Read more: http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news...em-Not-Installed-303645321.html#ixzz3aDkMvP00
Note:
[h=3]Why wasn't it installed on this stretch of track?[/h]"That's going to be a key question. We want to find out," Sumwalt told CNN's "The Situation Room." "Why was it in other areas ... on Amtrak's Northeast Corridor, but why was it not here?"
PTC has been installed at other locations along Amtrak's Northeast Corridor line, including stretches from Boston to New Haven, New Brunswick to Trenton and a 30-mile stretch of track in eastern Maryland. Congress has mandated installation along the Philadelphia tracks, along with more than 600,000 miles of U.S. railways that carry passengers or hazardous materials, by year's end.
Read more: http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news...em-Not-Installed-303645321.html#ixzz3aDkMvP00
Note:
[h=3]Why wasn't it installed on this stretch of track?[/h]"That's going to be a key question. We want to find out," Sumwalt told CNN's "The Situation Room." "Why was it in other areas ... on Amtrak's Northeast Corridor, but why was it not here?"
Deferred maintenance or...burgers and soda.
Amtrak lost $800M on cheeseburgers and soda
Taxpayers lost $833 million over the last decade on the food and beverages supplied by Amtrak, which managed to spend $1.70 for every dollar that received in revenue.
“Over the last ten years, these losses have amounted to a staggering $833.8 million,” said Rep.John Mica, R-Fla., in a statement previewing a House hearing today. “It costs passengers $9.50 to buy a cheeseburger on Amtrak, but the cost to taxpayers is $16.15. Riders pay $2.00 for a Pepsi, but each of these sodas costs the U.S. Treasury $3.40.”
"Amazon.com is currently selling 24-packs of 12 ounce Pepsi cans for $8.94 -- which averages to about 75 cents per can."
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/amtrak-lost-800m-on-cheeseburgers-and-soda/article/2503832
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The epitome of perfection - another Big Government "stimulus" success story!
face)(*^%
[h=1]Amtrak speed control system installed but wasn't turned on[/h]
Amtrak had installed the "Positive Train Control" system on the track where a speeding train fatally crashed Tuesday, but the system was not switched on.
The system could have automatically slowed the Amtrak 188, but instead it jumped the rails, killing 8 people and injuring more than 200.
According to a top congressional aide, Amtrak told the House Appropriations Committee on Thursday that the PTC system was installed along the section of track outside Philadelphia's 30th Street Station, where the crash occurred, but it was not operating.
==
The PTC efforts are already funded. Amtrak has said nothing publicly that would indicate that PTC is too expensive to install.
Amtrak had installed the "Positive Train Control" system on the track where a speeding train fatally crashed Tuesday, but the system was not switched on.
The system could have automatically slowed the Amtrak 188, but instead it jumped the rails, killing 8 people and injuring more than 200.
According to a top congressional aide, Amtrak told the House Appropriations Committee on Thursday that the PTC system was installed along the section of track outside Philadelphia's 30th Street Station, where the crash occurred, but it was not operating.
==
The PTC efforts are already funded. Amtrak has said nothing publicly that would indicate that PTC is too expensive to install.
It would seem to me that a speed limiter installed on the train would have prevented the accident. Lets say for the sake of argument that Amtrak operates a 1000 trains a day.
The cost of a speed limiter is around $300, so we’re talking $300,000.
I’m sure the 1.3 billion budget could cover it.
The cost of a speed limiter is around $300, so we’re talking $300,000.
I’m sure the 1.3 billion budget could cover it.
