I posted this in the wrong place as a comment on Jackson's post, so here it is where it should have been put.

At the monthly meeting of the North Florida Chapter of NRHS last night, we had a presentation on positive train control from the AVP of PTC/Technology at CSX. This activity at CSX is apparently in the hands of CSX Technology and the fellow admitted he knew little or nothing about train handling etc.

He pointed out two things that we ought to be concerned about, to wit:

Under the proposed rules, 2008 is to be the base year for computing the levels of traffic on a line to require PTC. The railroads are fighting this, CSX arguing that the base year should be 2015 - why, because by then they will have spun off, reduced traffic, or abandoned all the lines they possibly can to avoid the expense. Good business argument, not good for passenger rail. Already the PD and PA subs out in the panhandle have been essentially shutdown except for local freight, so if the Sunset Limited or a connection is ever restored, somebody besides CSX will have to provide the PTC, especially if the change to 2015 is allowed. But if 2008 is the base year, CSX must apply it, because they did not reduce the traffic level until June of 2009. And it is not just the Sunset that would be affected. We know of at least two efforts in progress out west that will affect some of the best performing Amtrak trains, like the SouthWest Chief.

The second item is that the cost/benefit ration, even as defined by the FRA is about 15:1. This means that if I buy a object for $15, the best I can get if I sell it is $1. Somehow Business-101 taught me that was not a good thing.