Obama Signs PTC Deadline Extension

President Barack Obama signed into law Thursday HR-3819, a short-term transportation funding bill that will extend the Dec. 31 positive train control implementation deadline by three years. Many railroads have said they wouldn't have been able to meet the original deadline, citing problems in acquiring necessary spectrum and in past challenges of FCC siting approvals. The House and Senate unanimously signed off on the measure earlier this week. "Americans who depend on freight and commuter railroads for their livelihoods and critical deliveries can breathe a sigh of relief," Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., said in a statement. "This legislation prevents rail service disruptions that would have occurred had Congress not acted, while still ensuring that this critical safety technology is implemented as quickly as possible."