The Senate and House have passed legislation to avert a shutdown of rail service. Railroads faced a December 31, 2015 deadline to install Positive Train Control (PTC) technology on locomotives to automatically apply brakes when trains enter dangerous curves. A 2008 law requires that PTC technology be installed by the end of this year; yet, railroads are far behind in installing the technology.
Railroads have been notifying passengers and freight companies that all services would be curtailed if the December 31, 2015 deadline was not extended. Senators from states with the most recent and devastating train fatalities, including Senators Boxer and Feinstein, were opposed to resolving the issue on the short-term highway bill. But a motion by Senator Boxer to remove the PTC deadline extension was opposed by the bill sponsor, and the bill passed by voice vote.