New Jersey Transit will be cutting service to try and speed up installation of critical safety technology, after not making much progress for several years.
The technology, known as Positive Train Control, can automatically stop trains if they are travelling too fast, and provides additional protection for workers on the tracks.
The agency has installed only 11% of equipment necessary, with the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North both above 60% completion. The Federal Railroad Administration has a December 31, 2018 deadline for full operation of the system, with extensions available until 2020 under certain circumstances.
The service changes, affecting early morning and rush hour trains, will allow NJ Transit to make more headway on installation and testing, and will be in place from June 4, 2018 until early 2019, per the agency.
“We are doing everything in our power to install this important safety technology as quickly as possible,” said Executive Director Kevin Corbett.
The full service changes can be viewed here.
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