Interim FRA acting admin to testify on PTC implementation before House Rail Subcommittee on Feb. 15

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Last edited Mon Feb 12, 2018, 02:07 PM - Edit history (1)

The news is in an article about the (well-known, and discussed elsewhere at DU) resignation of Heath Hall. The testimony is probably too far down the food chain to attract the attention of C-Span. Remind me on February 15 to see if it's on the schedule.

Sunday, February 11, 2018

Acting FRA chief Hall resigns

Written by Stuart Chirls, Senior Editor

Heath Hall, the acting administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration, the nation’s rail safety watchdog, resigned Feb. 11 amid allegations that he was working a second job as a public relations consultant.

Hall was appointed as Deputy Federal Railroad Administrator in June 2017, a post that did not require Senate confirmation. His appointment came after confirmation of President Trump’s pick for FRA Administrator, former Conrail executive Ron Batory, was held up by Democrats Chuck Schumer of New York and Corey Booker of New Jersey who were attempting to use it for leverage to release federal funding for the proposed Gateway rail tunnel project.
....

Even while Hall was serving as deputy administrator, he was without a background in railroad operations and safety, as his appointment was intended to increase expertise in administration of federal transportation grants, which is secondary to safety at FRA.

Batory has not been sidelined, however, as he has been working as an aide to Chao. In fact, it is likely Batory will have input when the FRA’s new interim acting administrator, General Counsel Juan D. Reyes III, testifies on Positive Train Control (PTC) implementation on Feb. 15 before the House Rail Subcommittee.

{Not Yet} Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration: Who Is Ronald Batory?

[elleng]

1. 'The nations top train man will be a retired railroad executive with nearly 50 years experience

in the industry. The White House announced on July 11, 2017, that President Donald Trump has nominated Ronald L. Batory, recently retired president of Conrail, as the next head of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). Located in the Department of Transportation, the FRA is responsible for developing and enforcing railroad safety regulations. If confirmed by the Senate, Batory would succeed Sarah E. Feinberg, who had run the agency since early 2015.

Born January 25, 1950, and raised in Detroit, Ronald Batory was the son of a New York Central Railway car checker and union leader. Lou Batory, who urged his son not to “waste a college education on a railroad.” Batory, though, had other ideas. He earned a B.A. in business at Adrian College in 1971 and an M.A. in Industrial Management at Eastern Michigan University in 1975. . .

In 1997, CSX and Norfolk Southern Corporation recruited Batory to become vice president for operations of Consolidated Rail Corporation (Conrail). He left Southern Pacific in 1998, worked as Conrail VP for six years, and was then president and chief operating officer from 2004 until April 1, 2017.'>>>

[mahatmakanejeeves]

2. Hearing: Oversight of Positive Train Control Implementation in the United States

Hearing: Oversight of Positive Train Control Implementation in the United States

2167 Rayburn House Office Building

Thursday, February 15, 2018 @ 09:30 | Contact: Justin Harclerode [phone]

{the hearing will be livestreamed at this site}

This is a hearing of the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.

HEARING WAS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED FOR 10AM BUT WILL NOW START AT 9:30AM

Summary of Subject Matter

Witnesses:

Mr. Juan D. Reyes III, Chief Counsel, Federal Railroad Administration
The Honorable Robert Sumwalt, Chairman, National Transportation Safety Board
The Honorable Edward Hamberger, President and Chief Executive Officer, Association of American Railroads
Mr. Richard Anderson, Chief Executive Officer, Amtrak
Mr. Paul Skoutelas, President and Chief Executive Officer, American Public Transportation Association
Mr. John P. Tolman, Vice President and National Legislative Representative, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen

Transportation & Infrastructure Committee

[mahatmakanejeeves]

3. Beginning at 9:30 a.m.: Hearing on Oversight of Positive Train Control Implementation in the US

Beginning at 9:30am: Hearing on "Oversight of Positive Train Control Implementation in the United States." Be sure to tune in to the live-stream here → https://goo.gl/qWrH6w or on @cspan. #transport #railroads #PTC

Link to tweet

House @Transport hearing on Positive Train Control Implementation – LIVE online here: http://cs.pn/2o8gw3b #transport #railroads #PTC

Link to tweet

[mahatmakanejeeves]

4. "Amtrak will not operate any train over any non-PTC compliant trackage effective Jan.1, 2019."

Hat tip, Passenger Trains > PTC a real LDT threat

Date: 02/16/18 07:00
PTC a real LDT threat
Author: co614

Based upon CEO Anderson's just completed Congressional testimony Amtrak will not operate any train over any non PTC compliant trackage effective Jan.1,2019.

I believe there will be lots of pieces of non compliant trackage come next Jan. 1st. over which Amtrak operates ( Cardinal, City of NO, Southwest Chief) and unless Amtrak amends its policy as spelled out clearly today by its CEO lots of LDT's will cease operation next New Years day??

IMHO-Ross Rowland

And:

Passenger Trains > Trains reports Amtrak will not to operate on lines w/out PTC

Date: 02/15/18 14:48
Trains reports Amtrak will not to operate on lines w/out PTC
Author: swirsk53

Story in Trains News Wire reporting that Amtrak CEO Anderson was going to tell Congress today that on lines "where a railroad is required to install PTC yet has made insufficient progress to apply for a waiver, 'Amtrak will suspend operations until such time as the carrier becomes compliant with the law'"

In Wall Street Journal he is reported as having said today “We have a question about whether we’re going to operate at all” in those territories, he said, “and I doubt we will.” Seems to be related to lines where PTC is supposed to be in place by 12/31/18.

In his testimony, Mr. Anderson said that many railroads whose tracks Amtrak uses outside the northeast were expected to seek extensions of the 2018 deadline from the FRA. In those cases, he said, “the question we must ask ourselves is whether we continue to operate over such routes until PTC is turned on, and if so, what additional safety protections are appropriate to reduce risks?”

For areas where railroads haven’t made sufficient progress on installing PTC to qualify for an extended schedule from FRA, Amtrak “will suspend” its operations, he said.

-- -- -- --

Date: 02/15/18 15:04
Re: Trains reports Amtrak will not to operate on lines w/out PTC
Author: Dcmcrider

Here's a link to Anderson's prepared testimony. A lot of interest here--including musings about changing operating practices in dark territory.

https://transportation.house.gov/uploadedfiles/2018-02-15_-_anderson_testimony.pdf

Paul Wilson
Arlington, VA