Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008
Encyclopedia
The Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 is a United States federal law, enacted by Congress
to improve railroad safety. It was signed into law by President George W. Bush
on October 16, 2008. Among its provisions, the most notable was the mandate requiring positive train control
on most of the US railroad network by 2015. This was spurred by the 2008 Chatsworth train collision
the month prior to passage of the act.
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
to improve railroad safety. It was signed into law by President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
on October 16, 2008. Among its provisions, the most notable was the mandate requiring positive train control
Positive Train Control
Positive train control is a system of monitoring and controlling train movements to provide increased safety.-Overview:The main concept in PTC is that the train receives information about its location and where it is allowed to safely travel, also known as movement authorities...
on most of the US railroad network by 2015. This was spurred by the 2008 Chatsworth train collision
2008 Chatsworth train collision
The Chatsworth train collision occurred at 16:22 PDT on Friday September 12, 2008, when a Union Pacific freight train and a Metrolink commuter train collided head-on in the Chatsworth district of Los Angeles, California, in the United States...
the month prior to passage of the act.