SEPTA Says It Is Ahead Of The Train Overspeed Controversy
By Mike DeNardo
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- In the wake of last month's fatal Amtrak derailment in Philadelphia, the federal government is recommending that commuter railroads, such as SEPTA, examine their speed controls where they have sharp curves.
Today, SEPTA said that it had been anticipating the advisory from the Federal Railroad Administration, adding that the transit agency has already hired a consultant to look at six curves on its 13 commuter lines where speed could be an issue.
SEPTA spokeswoman Jerri Williams says Septa is working on installing signs before curves, to remind engineers of the speed limits. Anyway, she says, SEPTA commuter trains don't get up to the same speeds as Amtrak.
"We are a commuter line. So we have many, many more stops. We have stations -- where Amtrak may pass through, we're going to stop," she told KYW Newsradio.
Williams says the speed safeguards are in place for now, until positive train control is installed in January.
